The Hindu : New Delhi News : Cinema at its very best... and then some not quite so at all

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 28, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

Cinema at its very best... and then some not quite so at all

ZIYA US SALAM

PARZANIA

(At Spice PVR, Noida; and Delhi theatres)

For long the distributors dithered over the fate of "Parzania", an insightful essay on the 2002 Gujarat pogrom. The Censors too took time clearing the film that relates the true story of a Parsi teenager who was separated from his mother as goons burnt down the predominantly Muslim Gulbarga housing society in Ahmedabad, killing and looting with police complicity. Director Rahul Dholakia had to wait a couple of years but he never gave up; never gave in. Result? An absolutely brilliant, brilliant film that neither rankles nor shakes. It merely overwhelms you: with its sheer audacity, with its transparent honesty, and an overriding integrity that prevents any section from making a capital out of a tragedy.

Wonderful cinematography, tight editing, restrained action and superb acting are all reduced to mere props as the film becomes bigger than all the laudable individuals involved with it. It is cinema with a purpose, a world removed from the distilled male fantasies filmmakers dish out week after week.

After prolonged adversity, "Parzania" has a lot going for it - this despite the fact that the powers that be have prevented release of the film in Gujarat where it deserved to be seen by one and all. Made with independent finances, "Parzania" is only incidentally the story of a Parsi couple who lost their son as blood-thirsty assailants raided the colony, which counted among its residents former Congress MP Ehsaan Jafri. It is actually a cry for all the victims of the genocide, and a stark reminder of the times when helpless men called up the police, helpless women begged for mercy -- all in vain as the line between protectors and predators blurred. And we ended up with probably the biggest bloodbath since Independence.

The film carries no disclaimer of "being a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person being incidental". And thus truthfully Dholakia narrates the tale of a middle class Parsi family living with the minorities, and just a handful of members of the majority community.

It takes time to build up as Dholakia seeks to strike a contrast between the goodness of peaceful times and the wrath of the bad times. So we get young Parzan playing with his little sister, joking with his parents, singing over breakfast. Then comes Godhra and the tragedy unfolds. Dholakia apprises us of violence but avoids any graphic depiction. The camera never lingers too much over any hate crime. It merely becomes a tool to take the story forward. The assailants unleash mayhem for a few hours, yet they leave behind deep scars as the family is reduced to refugee status. All is gone. Only hope remains that against all reason, maybe, just maybe, somewhere little Parzan might still be hiding from the attackers, and would come back.

As the family waits and waits, Dholakia exposes the nefarious nexus of police and politicians. The victims are compensated monetarily for a loss that is irreparable. And the State looks on as death becomes an instrument of politics.

Nothing by way of joy or crass entertainment, "Parzania" is a film that takes cinema to a higher level. Do watch it because hatred has to be defeated. Book yourself a ticket for this film because State complicity with criminals cannot be condoned. The fact that it has one of the finest performances of Naseeruddin Shah's illustrious career and easily the best of Sarika's chequered career is incidental. As are the completely loveable little boy and girl who light up the screen with their innocence. What is vital is a little lesson here: you should not destroy what you cannot create.

SALAAM-E-ISHQ

(At Chanakya and other Delhi theatres)

This film comes with wonderful promises, each of them brimming with exciting possibilities. Director Nikhil Advani delivered an ace with his first film, "Kal Ho Na Ho", a couple years ago. The Shah Rukh-Saif Ali Khan starrer had plenty to admire. And plenty of admirers too. Shanker-Ehsaan-Loy's music has caught the fancy of cinemagoers with the title track of "Salaam-e-Ishq" zooming up the charts on a one-way ticket.

Then there has been all the hype. For days it seemed cinemagoers almost could not wait for what is essentially the first multi-starrer for a long time: Advani's fixation for stars is faintly reminiscent of Rajkumar Kohli's penchant for ensemble cast. Well, with half a dozen star couples and a dozen stars in love, it could as well have been a gallery for stargazers! However, a star does not a film make. Thank God. Cinema continues to be a canvas for exploration. And Advani fails the test.

He scratches the surface, comes up with little poodles of joy, but is not able to weave together the complex tale of six couples facing their own different challenges to togetherness.

He takes a leaf out of "Love Actually", and actually goes on to give it an Indian touch. So he gives us Vidya Balan living with John Abraham in Mumbai, and Anil Kapoor doing the same in London with Juhi Chawla. In between we have a lovelorn Govinda waiting for a dream girl in Delhi, and Akshaye Khanna in and out of love with Ayesha Takia.

Then we have the high-profile couple of Salman Khan and Priyanka Chopra. He is Rahul, a pseudo boyfriend for the wannabe top heroine item girl. Throw in Salman's brother Sohail having a romp with Isha Kopikar and your main cast is complete.

Now for the story. Story, did one say! Well, Advani forgot all about that. Instead, he decided to play chess. So for one move of Queen Priyanka, he decided to have one-and-a-half of King Salman. The knights like Govinda and John get their few squares too, leaving the pawns like Ayesha and Isha with the leftovers. However, in this delicate balancing act it is the film that goes off-balance.

The stop-start narration with frequent flashbacks and fast forward shots disorient all but the most persevering and patient of viewers.

Result? Not too many interested in the luxuriantly long saga of six couples who all go through the motions without meaning to excite anything remotely sublime.

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