The very first sequence, a poised one, hints the cinematic excellence that is about to follow in next 120 minutes. Director Abhishek Kapoor travelling through a totally different journey in this film unlike his urban Rock On ! And still, gives a movie that is going to linger in your mind for long. Be it for its actors or the music or the setup. Following the content of the book on which it is based on (with different, and much better climax), Abhishek surprises us by giving a movie that is so better than its original source ! (To be frank, I don't have any problem with Chetan Bhagat's books. I call him 'masala writer' ;) And was waiting for this book to be converted into a film, since it was based on 'my' city - Ahmedabad).
Set in older parts of Ahmedabad, Kai Po Che instantly sucks you in the world of the 3 friends. You can't help but identify each of them with actual persons you've met in real life. Govind, played by Raj Kumar Yadav has this gifted ability to slip into his character so well you can't separate the two out. As a person desperate to change his life by making his own business a successful one, Yadav impresses with his somewhat goofy yet likable act. Amit Sadh on the other hand has really an interesting part with occasional dark shades to show, and he perfects it without any glitch. His maternal uncle, Bittoo mama, played by Manav Kaul - is so effective as manipulative Hindutva party leader. But the star of the show here is Ishaan - Sushant Singh Rajput. In his very first film, he charms you, he impresses you and makes you smile with tears somewhere in the corner of the eyes. Ishaan - who sees himself in talented little cricketer Ali (Digvijay Deshmukh) and determines to make him go places that he couldn't. Moments between Ali and Ishaan are done so well, you can't help but smile. On the other hand, you just want to run and jump in the sea from above the fort with your friends while the song Meethi Boliyaan is playing.
Making just a two hour long film that's based on a book, that is 'this' effective, is not an easy task. But thankfully, screenplay by Pubali Chaudhari, Supratik Sen, Abhishek Kapoor & Chetan Bhagat makes it possible without any useless track in the tale. My biggest worry of - how the riots will be portrayed on the screen, as there is a big chance of getting cliched. But Kapoor treats that part so subtly it is hardly offensive to any certain community. Even the local dialect is taken care of, sample : Baka, bhailu, dafol and lot more. Technically everything is perfect. Anay Goswamy captures parts of the city so wonderfully that it hardly feels that it is not actually shot in Ahmedabad. (Yes, its shot in another town). The dark moments are so effective with the camerawork. And the sound design - When there is a temple on screen, you can feel the kirtan, when two lovers are goofing around each other during a Navratrinight, you can hear Garbas being played at distant. Thanks to brilliant sound design by Baylon Fonseca. And the tension built up in sequences of Earthquake and riots - are not the usual one thanks to Hitesh Sonik's brilliant background score. And oh, the short but awesome soundtrack of Amit Trivedi ! Just can't get enough of all three songs. Picturised as brilliantly as the songs are.
Kai Po Che - is a brilliant example of how effectively a movie can walk on path that is bordering on class as well as mass entertainment, without having any known face - big star to sell it. Cinematic excellence - perhaps, can be defined in that way.
My Rating : 4 / 5
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