Recall the age-old adage: Marriages are made in heaven. Consummated on earth. But haven't we encountered lots of people in real life who try to set things up between friends/acquaintances? In fact, they take upon themselves to make matches and meddle in other people's affairs. That, in a nutshell, is the plotline of AISHA.
Let's get one thing straight. You are not exploring virgin territory with AISHA. 'Emma', the Jane Austen novel, has been adapted on film and television in the past. Although first published in 1815, almost 200 years ago, director Rajshree Ojha and writer Devika Bhagat transport the characters from this novel to present-day New Delhi. But the essence remains the same: A simple plot and an equally simplistic love story.
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But there's a flipside as well. The film runs a little longer [although the running time is 2 hours] and gets painfully slow in some portions. Besides, AISHA lacks the depth of passion and that could be because the makers were trying to make something lighter and breezier. Sweeping the minor complaints aside, AISHA is watchable for two factors mainly: Neat performances, especially by Sonam Kapoor and Amit Trivedi's super musical score.
Final word? The romantic buried inside all of us may respond to AISHA well.
Aisha [Sonam Kapoor] is a girl with a simple diktat -- everyone's business is her business. Arjun [Abhay Deol] is a boy with even a simpler set of beliefs -- Aisha should mind her own business. Caught in the Delhi upper class world with its own set of social rules, Aisha navigates her world with a great sense of style and even greater optimism.
Caught in her web are her best friend Pinky [Ira Dubey], the small-town girl Shefali [Amrita Puri], the West Delhi boy Randhir [Cyrus Sahukar] and the hunk Dhruv [Arunoday Singh]. Aisha will make sure everyone dances to her tune. And all Arjun wants to do is disentangle that web and get Aisha out of an impending sticky mess.
Director Rajshree Ojha and writer Devika Bhagat introduce the principal characters at the very outset and within minutes, you know their traits as well. The entire first hour is filled with the assorted characters interacting with one another and technically speaking, there's hardly any movement in the story. In fact, the first hour is more of a collage of incidents and moments put together on a beautiful canvas.
But the wheels start moving towards the post-interval portions, when the lead characters [Abhay, Sonam] suffer from pangs of jealousy and the remaining characters find themselves at crossroads as far as relationships are concerned. From this point onwards, AISHA gets more and more engaging. Note the confrontation sequence between Sonam and Amrita, which leads to a bitter outburst by the latter. Note the sequence when Sonam professes love for Abhay at a marriage reception, only to realise later that she had walked into a wrong venue. Note the finale, which is very Mills & Boon type of culmination. Well penned and well executed sequences!
Director Rajshree Ojha has handled several moments well, but how one wishes she would've spruced up the proceedings by coming straight to the point, instead of depicting Abhay and Sonam in sulking moods in several sequences of the second hour. Also, from the writing point of view, Cyrus and Ira Dubey suddenly realise that they are made for each other. Why this sudden pyaar? Didn't they detest each other? Loving the same musician doesn't imply you are made for each other! There had to be a scene or two to indicate that they are drawn towards each other.
The production design [Shruti Gupte] is impressive. The film bears a striking look all through. The styling of all characters is up to the mark. The costume designers [Pernia Qureshi and Kunal Rawal] deserve full marks for choosing/making the trendy outfits. Diego Rodriguez's cinematography is appealing. Music composer Amit Trivedi is in form, displaying his versatility in various numbers such as 'Shaam', 'Suno Aisha' and 'Gal Mitthi Mitthi Bol'.
AISHA is sure to open eyes to the talent of its leading lady Sonam Kapoor, who gives face, form and expression to Aisha. She displays the essential characteristic of an actress who has the ability to shift quickly and effectively from one emotion to another. She can cry, look wistful and deliver a biting line with equal believability. Abhay Deol is a complete natural and the fact comes to the fore yet again as you watch AISHA. Although Sonam has an author-backed role, Abhay underplays his part well and registers a strong impact in several scenes.
The film is supported by a fine [read talented] cast. Also, one of the delights of the film is the cleverly written supporting roles. Ira Dubey is spunky, a damn good actor. Amrita Puri is a revelation, a powerhouse of talent. Cyrus Sahukar is first-rate. Arunoday Singh acts his part well. Lisa Haydon [as Aarti] is underused in a small role. Anuradha Singh is classy. M.K. Raina [Aisha's father] is efficient. Anand Tiwari [as Saurabh] is competent. Sameer Malhotra and Vidhushi Mehra [Aisha's brother-in-law and sister, respectively] have nothing substantial to do.
On the whole, AISHA holds appeal for the youth mainly and there's a strong likelihood that this segment of movie-going audience will fall for its charms. From the business point of view, the makers have recovered a big chunk of their investment from the sale of Satellite Rights and Music Rights and recovering the balance amount from India theatrical, Overseas and Home Video should be a cakewalk.
| A Still from Aisha More Pics | Critic's Rating: 4.0 Cast: Sonam Kapoor, Abhay Deol, Ira Dubey, Anjali Puri, Cyrus Sahukar, Arunoday Singh Direction: Rajshree Ojha Genre: Drama Duration: 2 hours 11 minutes Readers Rating: 4.5 |
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After having found a suitable match for her aunt, she now wants to pair off her newfound friend, downmarket, small town-ish Shefali Tiwari (Amrita Puri), to Randhir Gambhir (Cyrus Sahukar), the man who actually is all eyes for Aisha alone. But before she can do that, she must transform the Haryanvi behenji into an uber chic style diva like herself. Indeed, a difficult project that gets even more tough because childhood buddy, Arjun Burman (Abhay Deol), seems hell-bent on scuttling all her 'new projects' and censuring her 'social work' as meddlesome mess. Does Arjun's opinion actually matter? Are marriages made in heaven? Can love be stage-managed? Good questions!
Movie Review: Take a back bench, Carrie Bradshaw and Co. Indian movielore has its own city slicker chicks who are definitely sweeter, sexier and more svelte than all of the Sex and the City girlie brigade put together. What's more important is the fact that their concerns are soooooo recognisable, ekdum familiar, and absolutely rib-tickling. So much so, they strike an instant chord with any and everybody -- chick and chico -- who has undergone the metropolitan mating game, complete with its distinct social divide between the two distinct types: the uptown dudes and dudettes and the downtown behenjis and bhaiyyas!
Producer Rhea Kapoor and director Rajshree Ojha's Aisha is a charmer for so many reasons. First and foremost, the film completely dazzles you with its style quotient. Truly, this must be one of the most exquisitely crafted films to sashay down Bollywood's boulevard in the non-action genre (we've had a lot of stylish action films, beginning with Satya). Every bit of costume, every incidental accessory and every tone of colour has been carefully co-ordinated to create a never-ending canvas that reminds you of a walk in a museum, brimming over with objects d 'arts. From Manish Arora, Anamika Khanna to Chanel and Ralph Lauren, Aisha and her friends just leave you gurgling with glee as they balance the bizarre with the beautiful. And yet, this fashion extravaganza never seems like a hollow catwalk. Kudos to stylist Pernia Qureshi and costume designer Kunal Rawal who create a whole new aesthetics for desi cinema. It's extremely difficult translating the aesthetics of an Austen novel on to the big screen, something which auteur director Ang Lee successfully managed in Sense and Sensibility. But when you try and translate Austen's early 19th century England into saddi Dilli and Manhattan-like Mumbai, it's got to be tricky. But hey, no hiccups for our stylists here. The transition is silken and smooth.
But the style quotient works only because the girls are such strong flesh and blood characters and carry it off so beautifully. Sonam Kapoor's super snob and spoilt brattish Aisha is actually quite adorable, even as Ira Dubey's best friend act as Pinky Bose stands out with its supercilious splendour. The duo are absolutely riveting as they breathe life into the archetypal 'super bi**ches' who, if you scratch the glossy surface, are gooey and good-hearted go-getters too. They too have the same fears and the same dreams as the simpleton, Shefali who falls into their trap and becomes their latest victim and pastime. In a seminal scene, the three girls put their heads together, wonder and giggle whether they will have to die single. Sweet! Add to this the fourth diva, New-York returned, white-collared, corporate yuppie, Aarti (Lisa Haydon) and you have a female foursome that literally carries the film on its fair and fragile shoulders.
But all this womanly business doesn't leave the men behind in any way. All the male characters have substance and soul, including Sonam's dahling of a dad (MK Raina) who first berates her on her exorbitant credit card bill and then later, shares a bowl of gajar ka halwa with her while dishing out some delicious homilies on love and life. Leading the men's brigade of course is Abhay Deol who creates Jane Austen's Mr Knightley to Sonam's Emma Woodhouse with an irresistible charm that is all his dimpled own. Completely in command, charmingly censorious and so much in love, he's the essence of Austen's heroes. But the rest of the boys -- Cyrus Sahukar, Arunoday Singh and Anand Tiwari -- aren't far behind.
Watch out also for Javed Akhtar's and Amit Trivedi's peppy music track which sends you out humming 'gal mitthi mitthi bol', as you savour your money's worth.
Sweet love, substantial performances, super fun, slick 'n stylish, Aisha is a-ha stuff.
A word about:
Performances: Everyone's immensely watchable. Sonam's great. Ira's awesome. Amrita Puri's simpleton act is heartwarming. Abhay is Abhay: ekdum in command. Arunoday makes an interesting debut. Cyrus is Cyrus: bright and bumbling.
Story: Jane Austen's nineteenth century England has been adapted very well to super swish south Dilli.
Dialogue: Reflects the concerns and cruel intentions of all cool twenty-somethings who wear their ahtitude on their sleeves and look down on lesser-turned-out mortals.
Cinematography: Both south Delhi and super rich Mumbai are captured with shadow and nuance by Diego Roderiguez.
Music: An excellent score by Amit Trivedi with peppy lyrics by Javed Akhtar and great vocals by Anoushka Manchanda, Neuman Pinto, Tochi, Amit Trivedi and the rest. Watch out for the title track, Aisha, By the Way and Gal Mitthi Mitthi Bol.
Choreography: Dare you to sit through Gal Mitthi Mitthi Bol!
Styling: Pernia Qureshi excels in creating one of Bollywood's most stylised films, even as the girls wow you with their Manish Arora Mickey Mouse tops, their Chanel pearls and their Lady Dior bags. It's a fashion rack that stretches from uber svelte to 'GK-1 (Greater Kailash-1) tent house' with the Bahadurgarh behenji look thrown in-between.
Inspiration: The film is a desi adaptation of Jane Austen's 1815 novel, Emma.
| Review: Leave Austen at home if you want to watch Aisha Published: Thursday, Aug 5, 2010, 23:47 IST By Blessy Chettiar | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA India 2.5 stars | |
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