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[Sharmila-Sweet]

Kurbaan Film Review [SPOILERS]

First things first. Kudos to Karan Johar for shifting gears completely and entering into serious territory. Of course, we do love him for his K-class cinema: all his crunchy popcorn films beginning with K, ever since Kuch Kuch Hota Hai redefined mainstream romance. But Kurbaan doesn't need the popcorn at all. It keeps the screen on overboil for most of its screen time with its hard-hitting storyline that dares to venture into undefined territory.

Like Khuda Kay Liye, Kurbaan too looks at the other side of Islamic fundamentalism and puts the post 9/11 tumult in perspective. Who are these guys who carry anger in their hearts, revenge in their heads and bombs in their pockets? Why are they hell bent on blasting the world, irrespective of the anguish it spells to all and sundry? Can there be a purpose behind their madness? Is one man's terrorist actually another man's activist? Kurbaan, written by Karan Johar, raises these pertinent - and extremely topical - questions, without glossing over the one undeniable truth: a suicide bomber can never solve the inequities of the world, Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, notwithstanding.

So we have Ehsan Khan (Saif Ali Khan), the Pakistani who lost his wife and kid to American excesses, seething with a desire to avenge his loss. He isn't the archetypal, skull-capped, bearded fundoo, mouthing soliloquies on jihad and intifada (uprising). On the contrary, he's suave, sophisticated and a charmer, tutoring the world on the misconceptions of Islam in the modern world. Small wonder then he manages to win the heart of college professor Avantika (Kareena Kapoor) and follows her to New York on her stint with NYU. But the domestic idyll is short-lived as Avantika soon discovers it isn't her neighbours (the Afghani extended family, headed by Om Puri) alone who have suspicious antecedents. Husband Ehsan too is an integral part of the plot to bomb America for its excesses against Muslims, the world over.

In a classroom sequence, the film tries to put Islamic fundamentalism in perspective by linking the rise of the Muslim terrorist to America's oil-grabbing foreign policy and its questionable attempts at destabilising oil rich countries in order to remain a superpower. Almost every member of the sleeper cell that comprises the Afghan family has a sad story of loss and horror that drove them into becoming fidayeens (suicide bombers). And before you begin to question the filmmakers for going too lenient on terrorism, you find Avantika who remains a non-convert till the very end. Articulating the voice of reason - and non-violence - she questions her husband and oscillates between love and hate for the man who has fathered her child. A prisoner in her own house, her only hope is Riyaaz (Viveik Oberoi), the undercover journalist who has his story of personal loss that pitches him on the other side in this war. He is determined to fight the terrorists and derail their plot of bombing America.

Karan Johar's story has gravitas. Renzil D'Silva's narrative keeps you on the edge of the seat, for most of the time. Salim Suleiman's music score has a melodious feel. Hemant Chaturvedi's cinematography serenades both Delhi, where the Saif-Kareena romance blossoms and New York, where it cracks up. And the performances by almost all the lead characters are gritty. If Om Puri paints a chilling picture of the terrorist who masquerades in the garb of the commoner and Kiron Kher makes the myth of a suicide bomber plausible, then Viveik Oberoi lends credibility to the voice of the progressive Muslim. But it is the chemistry between Saif and Kareena that lights up the film as the duo bring to life a picture of passion and restraint as the doomed lovers. We do however wish their relationship had a stronger emotional graph, post the startling revelation. How did the duo contend with the fear, hate and disillusion that crept in after Saif revealed his true identity: a bit more on that? And a bit less in the length of the film which could do with some taut editing in the second half. Also, there are a few inconsistencies that mar the film's realism. Why does the FBI loom large like a know-it-all, do-it-all figure? Not only do the FBI sleuths always be a step ahead of the terrorists and arrest them without actually knowing who they exactly are, they also emerge unscathed in a suicide bombing attacking where almost everybody crumbles. Super Uncle Sam, did we say!
But Kurbaan sure does strike a chord and sets you thinking on stuff that needs to be sorted out before the new world order - a more humanitarian, less violent - sets in. Don't miss it.

A word about

Performances: Saif and Kareena transport their off screen tuning to the big screen. While their passionate encounters are a class in aesthete, their delineation of Ehsan and Avantika is mature, restrained and realistic. Om Puri, Kiron Kher and Viveik Oberoi are in sync too.
Music: While Salim-Suleiman have come up with an entire audio track which fits in with the ambience of the film, it is Shukran Allah and the title track, Kurbaan Hua which have lingering notes. More importantly, the songs blend in seamlessly with the story and have not been filmed as your run-of-the-mill song-dance numbers.

Dialogue: The conversation amidst the diverse protagonists has a realistic edge and seem straight out of life. It's only when he tries to explain the theoretical basis of Islamic fundamentalism that Anurag Kashyap, dialogue writer, seems to enter the realm of text-book knowledge. The exposition seems a rattling of newspapers headlines.

Story: Karan Johar explores new depths with his insightful story on the world's most pressing problem: terrorism.

Cinematography: Hemant Chaturvedi uses his camera deftly to create stunning vignettes of Delhi and New York, without losing out on the seriousness of the plot.

Styling: Kareena looks svelte in dresses and tights and brings to life a glamorous professor who dons the hijab with equal felicity. Saif is his usual dapper self, making casual seem haute.


TOI

[Sharmila-Sweet]

Mere Brother Ki Dulhan (September 9, 2011)

By Taran Adarsh, September 9, 2011 - 15:08 IST


Our fascination for shaadis, band-baaja-baaraats, dulha-dulhans and swayamvars is for all to see. In Bollywood, most stories either begin with a shaadi or end with a shaadi. The audience claps the maximum when the hero wins his bride in the climax, overcoming all obstacles and hurdles thrown on his way by opponents. Like a veteran film-maker once told me, "Marriages [in Hindi films] can never go out of fashion." I completely agree!

Yash Raj too has had their share of shaadis and baaraats on celluloid. Be it DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE or BAND BAAJA BAARAAT, the production house has successfully come up with stories that had the viewer thirsting for more. MERE BROTHER KI DULHAN more than lives up to the legacy. Sure, it has the trademark flamboyancy and family drama associated with Yash Raj, but it's totally different from what we've watched thus far.

Write your own movie review of Mere Brother Ki Dulhan
Let me clarify something vital, before we proceed further. MERE BROTHER KI DULHAN has nothing to do with Onir's SORRY BHAI or the Barbara Mori starrer MY BROTHER'S WIFE. Nor is it an adaptation/rip-off of the Hollywood film DAN IN REAL LIFE. There's also talk that the film bears an uncanny resemblance to Yash Raj's earlier film MERE YAAR KI SHAADI HAI. On the contrary, the inspiration for this film, as director Ali Abbas Zafar confessed to me, came from the matrimonial advertisements in newspapers. And the director does just that -- he picks up an interesting plot, garnishes it with appealing characters and makes a fun-and-joyous ride that keeps you hooked for most parts. In fact, there's never a dull moment in this prem kahani involving two brothers and the girl they both love, in the first hour at least. The wacky adventures that follow once the loony dulhaniya enters the picture are thoroughly amusing and entertaining. However, it's only towards the second hour that the film dips at places, though it picks up towards the end.




MERE BROTHER KI DULHAN isn't trite or clichéd, but it's simple and honest, so much so that this could be the story of someone you know. Thanks to a well directed cast, sparkling script and a luminous soundtrack, this is easily one of the most heartwarming movies from the leading production house.

Kush [Imran Khan] is looking for the ideal Indian bride for his brother Luv [Ali Zafar], who stays in London. In his quest, Kush goes through an array of wacky encounters with several families until he finally finds that perfect girl in Dimple [Katrina Kaif], the craziest / wackiest girl he has ever known.

Both the families meet. Formalities are completed. Preparations proceed in full swing. And just then Kush falls in love with Dimple... his brother's dulhan.

On hindsight, if someone were to tell you that the story of the film is about a guy who falls in love with the bride he has chosen for his brother, you'd expect lots of melodrama and an undercurrent of tension after a point in the narrative. I'd say, ignore all the nagging misconceptions or preconceived notions you may have had about MERE BROTHER KI DULHAN. Venture into the cineplex with an open mind and trust me, as the reels unfold, you'll realize that the film is not like what you may have envisioned prior to its screening. It makes wonderful sense!

Most rom-coms follow the conventional route. You know how they start, what's in store in the middle and how they usually end. They don't really challenge the intellect, frankly. But there's a twist in the tale in MERE BROTHER KI DULHAN that catches you by surprise. Sure, it's about two guys liking the same girl -- a formula that's done to death -- but even if the theme has been used and re-used time and again, there's always scope that the next man who attempts it may treat it slightly differently. Thankfully, MERE BROTHER KI DULHAN has the conventional plot, but isn't conventional in the true sense. And it's definitely not the been-there-seen-that kind of a movie either.

On the flip side, MERE BROTHER KI DULHAN has its share of few predictable moments in its second hour. Actually, the graph of the film dips, albeit slightly, in the post-interval portions. The problem is, the first hour is so high on entertainment quotient that you expect the second hour to supersede the first by leaps and bounds. Lots seem to happen in the post-interval portions, but the episodes aren't as exciting as the first hour, which is why you feel the difference. However, the finale throws a new twist, which may appear stretched to some, but is likeable nonetheless.

First-time director Ali Abbas Zafar has complete grasp over the medium and has treated each scene wonderfully well. Besides, he has drawn admirable performances from the principal characters. Handling comic scenes is one tough job, but Ali seems to have a flair for it. MERE BROTHER KI DULHAN has a winner of a soundtrack. Expectedly, the songs, composed by Sohail Sen, stress on the fun quotient that compliments the mood of this film. The songs are urbane-friendly, yet massy, with 'Dhunki', 'Choomantar', 'Madhubala' and the title track being excellent compositions. I would also like to make a special mention of the choreography of these songs [Bosco-Caesar]. It's truly eye-catching. Sudeep Chatterjee's cinematography is vibrant.

The performances are easy on the eyes. The unlikely chemistry between Katrina and Imran coupled with Ali Zafar's impeccable comic timing keeps you glued to the screen. Imran, frankly, seems the apt choice for this role and he more than lives up to it. Katrina is only getting better and more endearing with every release. Ali Zafar is a supremely talented actor and this film proves it yet again.

Tara D'Souza does a fine job. Parikshit Sahni and Kanwaljeet Singh are truly wonderful. The actor who plays Imran's friend is natural. John Abraham appears in a cameo.

On the whole, MERE BROTHER KI DULHAN is a delectably wholesome, heartening, feel-good entertainer. Not just a comedy, but also a tender, bittersweet saga, this rom-com is sure to melt your heart, then restore it anew all over again. Yet another winner from Yash Raj!

4/5