The Hindu : Karnataka News : Still makes many a heart miss a beat

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Sunday, Dec 02, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Still makes many a heart miss a beat

Return of the diva: A scene from the film ‘Aaja Nachle’.

Aaja Nachle (Hindi)

Cast: Madhuri Dixit, Kunal

Kapoor, Konkona Sen

Director: Anil Mehta

Bollywood continues to be the biggest collective fantasy of our cinemagoers. And more than five years after she last faced the camera for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Devdas”, Madhuri Dixit, now back with “Aaja Nachle”, has probably launched a million fantasies among fans dazzlingly diverse in region and religion.

Gratification follows half a decade of denial. Tranquillity often breeds triumph, and Madhuri, post-motherhood, comes back every inch the queen she was.

Debutant director Anil Mehta’s film is a wonderful showcase for Madhuri’s not so insignificant charms. Her eyes don’t lack in delight, she still provokes admiration. Her smile still makes many a heart miss a beat. If at the start of her career with films such as “Hifazat” and “Tezaab” she was like a river in spate, today she is contained and calm. She belongs as much to the connoisseurs as to the commoners.

Here, she is the life, breath and joy of Mehta’s film, which is otherwise contemptuous of the elementary virtues of storytelling. A film so self-defeating, that it almost does not deserve Madhuri. And the lady, who is better than the film, deserves better.

Every shot of Mehta’s film is conceived and executed with Madhuri in mind. Every line is written with the lady as the sole focus of attention. Every dance number is designed to give Madhuri the best opportunity to show off her dancing skills, her almost bare back and her electrifying smile.

And the camera even acts as her best friend: there are few laugh lines and fewer wrinkles. But hey, it is all fair and fine for the fans to be besotted with Madhuri, but not such a great idea when the fellow cast and crew members join the admirers’ club. That is exactly what brings down Mehta’s film.

Everything is so centred on Madhuri that the director forgot about a story, while the slightest semblance of credibility is given the go by. And the editor merrily joins the fan club, and seems to have kept his scissors in his pocket.

Storyline

More is the pity because the single-strand storyline of an artiste who comes back from the U.S. and wages a battle for a local theatre under threat from the forces of rampant and haphazard development had some potential. However, Mehta goofs it up. Instead of focussing on the story, developing some sub-plots, he only provides a platform to Madhuri to project her dancing skills.

Even as she puts together a ragtag coalition of local amateur artistes for a performance that stands between the theatre’s survival and demolition, the camera just zooms in on her.

So she gets to dance as part of practice. She gets to do more of it in a song.

And then another. Of course, some of it is unavoidable, as she is supposed to be a choreographer here. But there is an overdose. And credit to Madhuri that she does not show signs of fatigue.

The story does not move. Right from the time Madhuri challenges the local MP to give her time to revive the theatre, to the final denouement, snails’ pace is a constant companion.

And even as little Konkona, in a role clearly inspired by her fine performance in “Omkara”, provides several bright moments, it is hilarious to see the likes of Akhilendra Mishra, playing a local politician here, go through the aerobics steps.

Far-fetched, indigestible, completely avoidable. Again, more is the pity because the music is good, with a nice lilt and a positive feel. The cinematography is fine too. And the supporting cast does its bit.

Then of course there is Madhuri in her element. The passage of years has failed to dull her charms. Just so sad that Mehta’s film fails to match her zest and oomph. The film has her style. It needed her soul too.

Watch “Aaja Nachle” if you are a Madhuri fan, her comeback provides hope that Bollywood might finally have space for heroines beyond 40, but is happy to conform to the stereotypes of male fantasies.

Ziya Us Salam

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