AAMIR - A highly commendable work!

“The circumstance in which the common man now finds himself in was the inspiration for the film. Terrorism is not the theme of the film, it’s just the backdrop.” – Raj Kumar Gupta, the director of Aamir.

There are two possible explanations behind me writing this post and I don’t exactly know which is stronger. One – Hindi Cinema has truly come of age in terms of the diversity of the movies Bollywood is churning out; the audience is also more responsive and willing to accommodate different story lines; Multiplex cinema halls mean a niche audience and decent collections for experimenting directors. Two – I am only now discovering good Hindi movies and hence overwhelmed by them easily!

Either way, I think a movie like Aamir has never been attempted in Hindi cinema before. There are several reasons why it is a good movie. In fact terming it as just “good” could very well be one of the biggest understatements I am making!

It is not conventional in any sense. It is not just an entertainer and makes the viewer constantly think. It is a thriller in every sense of the word – I barely moved a muscle through the length of the movie. It has been shot differently. The streets of a city like Mumbai come alive in every frame, when the protagonist runs - in the nonchalance of the people observing, in the manner in which the camera moves and captures people as they are, for the most part of the movie.

The scene in which Rajeev Khandelwal looks at his reflection in a large bowl of water before scooping a handful and washing his face stands out and goes on to speak volumes about the newcomer’s ability to emote each and every feeling to perfection. Truly, the transition to the big screen has meant loads of hard work here.

A young Muslim doctor returning to India is caught in a maze and feels helplessly forced to obey the instructions of a person who is bent on leading him to his end.

Realistically shot, with the whole movie unfolding as a sequence of events that happen to the protagonist and shake his being in the space of a single day from the moment he lands at the airport to the moment he slightly hesitates before finally making up his mind in the end, this is one movie that critics are truly loving! The VCD includes the making of the movie with excerpts from the crew and the songs…

Acting is top notch; editing is tight; Music is raw and sounds unsophisticated giving the flavor of the street; the dialogue is teasing, revealing just about what is required to keep the viewer on toes and challenging the societal stereotypes and attitudes; the photography considering the locations chosen is very realistic; the end effect in the viewer is one of immense satisfaction…

Three cheers for film making of this kind and one hopes many more movies like this come out, get appreciation and due rewards!