adding on. because maybe this deserves a separate post.
the telephone conversation between arnav and his family.
the phone rings in the middle of a call being made to the cops. the level of worry among the family members has reached a bit beyond mars.
anjali picks up the phone.
her expresion begins to clear. then the tearful exchange. sister admonishing brother, anger, worry, relief, eveything all at once. around sentence three, cut to tight close up asr.
oph.😆
and the fabulous phone call is on a roll. instrument being passed from one to the other, everybody wants to talk to the one that is away. (how many times have i seen this at home when someone calls long distance. so damn natural! what a fantastic device used adroitly by masters of storytelling.)
the brother wants to reassure the sister despite all his troubles, yet that little asr head tilt of irritation at her usual overworry (need to create words, sorry).
the grandmother grabs the phone. extreme tenderness, utter dependence, relief washing over into a smile, pleading with her grandson through mock forgiving for the last time (last time?!! no, cut that thought and throw it far far away). did you notice the surge of emotions across barun's face? this woman has been his pillar, his shelter when he was destitute, and he must have played on her lap (yeah yeah i'm getting mushy but you know grandmothers do that to me) as a kid. as he sits before a gun pointed at him (if we are to believe the precap) wonder how many thoughts are racing through his head as he hears her voice.
on to mamiji. oh that to and fro, her smile full of her love for arnav bitwa, because funny/mean/gauche/nouveau riche whatever mamiji may be, her love for this bitwa is the real deal. and they have a special relationship. no matter what her drawbacks, he gets her. remember that necklace incident? oh i fell a bit more in love with asr that day. to love someone though they ain't perfect, to indulge someone just because you can, aw i die. what a treat that conversation "so what will you get me from scotland?" 😆😆inane, yet full of meaning. arnav almost smiles. her prattle creating an illusion of normalcy perhaps? for a brief moment, mamiji's into her inane prattle, all is right with the world.
akash interrupts, so natural, so apt, so son like. on to the conversation between two bros, nay to me they are brothers not just cousins. off we go into the questions regarding business and things, arnav does not interrupt this conversation and rush into the main event. he wants no member of his family to worry, not the elderly, not the physically weak, not the young and strong. no one. he takes care of everyone. hehas an answer for everyone's question. no one must worry, not for him.
o my oh.finally, the request, akash, take care of di and khushi. did you hear his voice thicken ever so slightly on her name? what is this unbearably good acting i say.
last and absolutely most, khushi. now that just under 3 min (correct me if i'm wrong) conversation will go down in the annals of classic love stories as the finest phone conversation ever when love was declared through the most beautiful utterance and the most eloquent silence.
(i wouldn't be surprised if a telephone company or operator soon filches the scene for an ad.)
that call was a masterstroke. there was love, family, nuanced emotion, plus plot development there. then there was i love you.
thank you writer, director, and each and every actor.
Edited by indi52 - 13 years ago