Bollywood has never been shy of being melodramatic and mawkish; it is, after all, what going to the movies is all about: an escape from reality into the world of fantasy. And yet, here is a new offering that takes the same template but offers it in so slick a package that we fall hook, line, and sinker for the quintessential message: love comes to all, no matter what your lot in life.
But Barfi! goes a step further in stretching that very message: it is not so much seeking love as it is seeking to be loved. For who among us has not had a broken heart– not because we were forbidden to love someone– the object of our affections is for us to choose of our own free will– but because we were not loved back in return. And yet, when love finds us and loves us back– to match our own intensity and sincerity of that emotion– it is perhaps then, and only then, that we are fully at rest with ourselves.
It is this embedded message that is conveyed through the classic love-triangle played by the somewhat newbie Ranbir Kapoor, and the two lovely ladies, Priyanka Chopra and Ileana D’Cruz. Having a legacy as he does, Mr. Kapoor is without doubt a reincarnation in his grandfather’s style and has got to be the rising star on the Bollywood horizon. But his talent is matched in full by his two heroines, the dramatically deglamorized Ms. Chopra and the newcomer, Ms. D’Cruz.
This is definitely a thoughtful casting that works. Stripped of all social conventions, Mr. Kapoor and Ms. Chopra’s characters evoke a free-spirited joie de vivre that is in sharp contrast to the sensible and responsible Ms. D’Cruz’s character– who discovers much to her chagrin that even though one might get second chances in life, they don’t always necessarily work out. But there’s courage even in that realization, and since what doesn’t kill you must only make you stronger, well, that’s exactly what happens to her.
But beyond the remarkable acting, attention must be paid to other aspects of this fine film. Indian cinema is fast burgeoning into an institution to be reckoned with if the directing, editing, sound, and cinematography of this film is anything to go by. It speaks volumes that a large chunk of the movie is devoid of dialog, and yet, one has absolutely no trouble following the storyline. The re-dawning of the silent movie era, perhaps?
And speaking of the cinematography, the expansive landscapes of the tea plantations and mountain-side life in one of India’s premier “hillstations” Darjeeling, is a pure joy to behold. Also, there are other modern sleights of the camera such as the scenes where simple bubbles that are blown enclose fireflies– a delight! And then there are other clever uses of imagery such as when there is a unique form of non-verbal communication with light bouncing its reflection off pieces of mirrors.
More kudos: the integrity of the period is preserved even in the small details of the hair and makeup of the women of the time– that beehive style and strong-kohled eyes evoke the Seventies like none other. The one thing, however, that I found out of place– and I truly wish someone had thought of it– was a landscape that at times looked very much like the lush state of Kerala, what with tall swaying palm trees (surely they’re no palm trees in Darjeeling?!), and a lively Kathakali dance troupe to match! Are these details not important?
Finally, a big nod to the musical score: borrowing heavily from a genre that is reminiscent of the days of the radio– the Murphy radio after whom our man Barfi is named– this is a most melodious jazz-and-pop style that you can’t help but tap your foot to, even as you break into a smile or wipe that tear that will inevitably escape at one time or another. Thanks to YouTube, some clips of the songs are included below for your listening pleasure.
So, go see it, folks! You’ll come away feeling thoroughly entertained and perhaps a little more grateful in the knowledge that there’s hope for all, at least as far as love is concerned!
Oh, and will someone enter this movie into this year’s Academy Awards under the Foreign Film category, please?
Glad to hear that someone took my advice from the last line of my review!