The Critique: Khoya Khoya Chand

Starring Shiney Ahuja, Soha Ali Khan and Rajat Kapoor and directed by talented Sudhir Mishra, KKC was a movie that should have done well but it lacked something that made it just another boring art movie.

The movie is about three people. Shiney as Zafar, Soha as Nikhat and Rajat as Prem Kumar. The movie showcases era of 50s and 60s. Zafar is a writer with exceptional talent. Nikhat is a beautiful wannabe actress and Prem Kumar is a successful actor of the era. Zafar liberates Nikhat from influence of Prem Kumar. But life is not that easy. Prem Kumar is a strong man of industry and knows how to manage his opposition. Zafar faces a lot of problems and almost ruin himself. Nikhat pays back by giving her finest performance in Zafar’s movie Khoya Khoya Chand.

The movie used the era of 50s as the backdrop. It showed how powerful actors of the age used their power to control the lives of less powerful people around; especially the helpless actresses without any background. It also shows how difficult it was to be an actress. The third dimension; Zafar had a very complex life. Lot of darkness and love for Nikhat.

Music was a positive point. Shantanu Moitra did a fine job by recreating the charm of 50s and keeping honesty of composer intact. Scores are good and at least not pick-ups from old melodies.

Movie was good as a package but it lacked the fire that should have been there. It was very slow and story telling lacked the sparkle of Hazaron Khwaishien Aisi, another Sudhir Mishra movie- a brilliant movie. Despite of showcasing nice acting performance and a nice story plot, KKC was a mediocre movie. One should always raise the bar!

For The Reel; Written By: Apoorv ‘Don’ Kushwaha

The Critique: Hazaaron Khwahishain Aisi

Hazaaron khwahishain aisi ke har khwahish pe dam nikle
bohot nikle mere armaan lekin phir bhi kam nikle…

This couplet pretty much sums up what charaters of “hazaron khwaishein” are going through.
Set in the times of political turmoil of Emergency and period just before it. The story basically tracks the paths of three characters, Geetha Rao (played by supremely beautiful and talented Chitragandha Singh), Siddharth Tayabji (played by acclaimed KK Menon) and Vikram Malhotra (played by Shiney Ahuja in his best performance till date, also his second movie). Vikram likes Geetha, who in turn is in love with Siddharth, a revolutionary.
Siddharth leaves to join the revolution. Geetha moves on for higher studies, where she marries an IAS officer. A failed marriage draws her back to Siddharth, (IAS played by Ram Kapoor, who is brilliant in the scene where as a not-in-cotrol husband he confronts Geetha about Siddharth, beats her up and eventually begs her to stay back.) Later Geetha moves to join revolution, where she helps Siddharth in all ways, even once gets abused to save him. Siddharth lands in lock up. Vikram meanwhile is now a successful Business man, who gets involved in emergency turmoil as his Gandhian Father is arrested and Geetha approaches him to rescue Siddharth and what follows is a chilling climax.

By acclaimed director Sudhir Mishra who understands every shade of his characters. Mishra a leftist himself and who has seen through horrific emergency days of 70’s, presents a chilling account. Performances are top notch; even bit roles are played to perfection.

A mature love story with characters meeting over a span of six years,relations explicit but not sensational, even adulterous to portray intimacy, intimate scenes are shot starkly (as was required).It is about difference in ideology as Siddharth, an idealist in contrast with Vikram who remains in system to use it for himself. It is also what choices people make finally. Notice how role reversal takes place in the end, with Siddharth and Vikram *swapping choices they made. It works on so many levels at the same time, and that is what makes it a great watch.

Interesting to watch, more for those of us who were born after emergency. This is a MUST watch if serious movies is your thing, and if you like it spread the word, make your friends watch it too, as it has lesser audiences than it deserves. Some might see it as a less-on-entertainment package, if they are not into serious movies. But if you are trying to start watching serious issue based movies this will be a good start.

Written By: Ali (Rosebud)