|
|
 |
|
|
Cast:
Kay Kay Menon, Jimmy Shergill,
Nandana Sen |
|
Sonali Kulkarni |
|
Special Appearance: Kitu Gidwani |
|
Music:
Vinay Tiwari |
|
Story: Gaurav Sinha, Himanshu Sharma |
|
Banner:
Rise 2 Shine Productions |
|
Cinematographer: Manoj Gupta |
|
Presenter:
Raj Kundra |
|
Producer:
Uday Tiwari |
|
Direction:
Anand Rai |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| In a
way, the title could take another dimension. The four
principle characters (based in London) seem like strangers
to Hindi cinema, or at least to what we have come to expect
from lead characters. In an earlier, more stereotypical yet
socially better era, three of the four principle characters
here could be called negative. But today, with writers and
filmmakers obsessed with dark sides of human beings, with
being non-judgmental and with spinning tales of gray men
and women, we have a thriller made on three such people and
a fourth character who, though a victim of both
circumstances and spouse, is not portrayed as
sympathetically as deserved but is the only positive one! |
|
|
|
And so the four characters look as if they belonged
to a foreign country at a time when Hollywood is
learning from Indian cinema and so many of their
films (Meet The Fockers, The Holiday), emotions- and
value-wise, come across almost like Indian films set
in foreign shores! It is for this reason that the
film, in its story and in its script, faces a fatal
hurdle we do not feel for the protagonists and
their problems at all. Like many such films, we
are made to look non-judiciously and even with
empathy at cold-blooded manipulation and complete
selfishness. But the audiences are not foolish.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
History
has shown that there is a value-system among Indian
audiences, unlike for foreign audiences, and they do not
excuse even the selfish obsessed lover (Gupt) or avenger (Baazigar)
even in a thriller.
But while
that is the vital angle that Indians will not ignore, how
does Strangers fare purely as a thriller? Taking a peak at
the plotline, we have Rahul Bedi (Jimmy Sheirgill), a failed
writer (shades of Manorama Six Feet Under?) who is having
problems with his wife as a result, and Sanjeev Rai (Kay Kay
Menon), a management guy who has lost a son and so has an
emotionally-disturbed wife (Sonali Kulkarni) who is getting
on his selfish nerves. The two meet up in Londons tube and
get talking. Soon they are revealing their lifes problems
and the main causes their wives. And so comes an idea
why not help each other by killing them? Some wife-swapping,
this! |
|
|
 |
|
But again, if you thought that this film had a
shocker twist in the end, you would be wrong. Forget
the (so-called) inspiration from Strangers in a
Train, anyone who has seen the early 2007 Hindi
disaster The Train (Strangers in The Train, get it?
Ha ha!) and the 2002 flop Soch and have ruminated on
the title (a dead giveaway) will guess the general
pattern of the ending. But the execution is
reasonably competent in a stylized, technical sense,
even if the film achieves the negative distinction
of seeming ploddingly slow for even a 90-minutes
runtime! |
|
|
|
| And
why have such a suddenly frenzied climax? Was it necessary
to save a few additional minutes with such an abrupt change
in the pace, like a tortoise changing suddenly into a hare?
Or was there just the realization that the editor had taken
a rest in the earlier reels? |
|
|
|
But let us be fair and look at the assets of this
film that shine even among the fundamental
handicaps. Manoj Shaws cinematography is almost
award-worthy, though he has an unfair advantage as
the film is based in and around London, simply one
of the worlds most beautiful locales. The dialogues
are refreshingly minimalist, even curt, and thus
just right for a cynical thriller. Thirdly, though
the songs are largely insignificant, Vinays
background music is not only apt but a pleasant
change from the sound-effects-oriented clutter of
the Amar Mohiles and the Salim-Sulaimans! |
|
|
|
|
Aanand L. Rais direction is undeniably skilled, but next
time round he must choose a subject and use a script that is
more value-based and brisker too. |
|
|
|
Finally, we come to the performances. And this is
where the twist comes my vote goes to Sonali
Kulkarni who steals the show (if role and acting are
not confused with each other) as Sanjeevs
traumatized and victimized wife. Nandana Sen is
okay. As for Jimmy and Kay Kay, they are as usual
seasoned and competent in their interpretations of
their characters, but since the film at face-value
is primarily about them, one must concede that they
could have risen a little more above their roles. |
|
|
|
