Cast: Abhay Deol, Soha Ali Khan and Shayan Munshi
Director: Shivam Nair
Producer: Anjum Rizvi
Background:
Abhay Deol made his debut in Socha Na Tha with Ayesha Takia while Soha
Ali Khan made her Hindi film debut with Dil Maange More also with
Ayesha Takia and Shahid Kapur. This film has no Ayesha Takia but
Shayan Munshi is playing one end of the triangle. Director Shivam Nair
is an expert on thriller on television but has ventured into films for
the first time.
Synopsis:
Ankush Ramdev (Abhay Deol) is a man who is a false witness at the
marriage registrar's office in old Delhi. He helps many couples get
married and get procedures done for them as well.
One day he sees a pretty girl Megha Joshi (Soha Ali Khan) waiting for
her boyfriend Dheeraj at the marriage registrar's office. Ankush helps
Megha find a roof over her head for a couple of days as Dheeraj hasn't
reached. Dheeraj and Megha are lovers from the neighbouring hill
station of Nainital who have eloped to wed as the families are opposed
to the wedding. But then, Megha realises that Dheeraj has now ditched
her. She cannot go back home as well. So Ankush offers her help and
gets her a place to stay. To pay her rent he raises money by changing
professions as a representative for HDFC Bank. He approaches all his
previous clients whose marriages he has helped take place and opens
accounts with them for the bank.
He is then promoted as the area supervisor with the condition that he
has to learn English which Soha offers to teach.
It is then Dheeraj (Shayan Munshi) returns. Dheeraj was arrested by
the cops as they suspected that he was transporting deadly RDX. As
Dheeraj searches for Megha, Ankush tries in many ways to prevent the
twain from meeting.
But they meet on the day Ankush is to wed Megha. Does Megha marry
Ankush or does she go back to her first love? … That is the gradual
end for Ahista Ahista.
Critique:
There aren't too many characters in the film barring three friends of
Ankush, one kid at a tea stall, a manager of an old age home where
Megha works and is offered shelter and a loudmouthed woman who Ankush
takes help from. Thus in the absence of many people, the pace of the
film is slow as the title suggests.
The film however is clean and refreshing.
Music by Himesh Reshammiya is a highpoint and has done well. However
it has been placed a bit irregularly in the film. Abhay looks fit for
the character and is immensely likeable as a loser. Soha Ali Khan has
never looked more beautiful before in any of her previous films. Her
presence is very refreshing and lightens up the scenes. Shayan Munshi
is ok, but it does seem that his role has been chopped off after he
had a bad name in the Jessica Lal case. Well, we didn't miss much in
the chopping. It reduced the length of the movie which ahs actually
worked out to be better.
Shivam Nair is a revelation. This is the man who has helped many like
Anurag Kashyap, Shriram Raghavan and Abbas Tyrewala flourish in
Bollywood and he now makes a good debut. His understanding of the
medium is good, but he would have to start getting back to making
thrillers to grow as a filmmaker. Shivam is the king of thrillers who
can teach lessons to many in Bollywood.
The film is a different idea of writer Imtiaz Ali who had earlier
directed Abhay's Socha Na Tha.
The location of Delhi is also different from the regular film
locations in Mumbai and cameraman Prakash Kutty has done a decent job.
The scene to watch out for is the climax when Abhay and Soha are
talking to each other. It is not very emotional for the viewer but it
gives a different ending.
Worth a single view even if there are no big stars. Just that Soha has
the recent backing of the year's best film behind her - Rang De
Basanti.
RS Rating: 6/10
Tony
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