Saawariya Movie Reviews

SAAWARIYA is a film which didn't have a story to begin with, ends abruptly in such a way as if the last few pages of the script went missing and Bhansali was threatened by the Sony guys to wrap up the film. Pronto start flashing the end credit rolls and as a viewer you are left glued to the seats, not due to film's gripping power but sheer shock value, as the usher forces you to leave the auditorium before letting in unfortunate patrons queuing up for the next show.

If one looks closely, somehow one of the threads of JAB WE MET forms the entire plot of SAAWARIYA. The only difference here being that SAAWARIYA ends where JAB WE MET met it's interval point. Guy hands over the girl to the man she loves and the film ends. Period. Arrey, ye tha kya? Aur ye dikhaya kyon? Was it something to do with 'I-didn't-get-her-but-would-still-always-love-her' or plain 'bewakoofi'?

Sanjay Leela Bhansali has been announcing to the world that his SAAWARIYA is a simple story told in a simple and slow manner. Yes, the story is quite simple. And that's because actually there is no story at all. Is it told simply? Well, there are doubts to that! After all when even potholes are so carefully constructed as a result of multimedia programming and then architecturally designed on concrete, one would hardly term it as simple cinema.

The film has been told slowly? Oh yes, and sir you deserve 20 out of 10 here. The film is so slow that one starts longing for an interval point 30 minutes into the film. Extra long pauses are the call of the day for this artistic piece of cinema that between two dialogues, one can pass on the popcorn and borrow some nachos without missing anything! And by the way that whistle which seems to be the theme love tune in the film and is blown by Ranbir, Rani, Sonam and all the prostitutes in the imaginary city of Bhansali is more eerie than lovable! In fact in the song 'Pari' when a group of prostitutes start walking in a ghostly manner towards Ranbir while bringing out this painful sound, it seems more Shyamalan cinema than Bhansali's!

The sore most point of SAAWARIYA is that there is no reason why people keep falling in love in 'pehli nazar'. It happens to Ranbir as he sees Sonam standing on a bridge. A year back it has also happened to Sonam who has seen Salman getting wet in rain (with his kurta on) as he reads his 'namaaz'. Their love is nothing but crazy as Ranbir is unable to forget Sonam while Sonam is unable to forget Salman. And in between there are also some misleading references to Salman being there/not there.

One hopes for these answers in the end but I guess this is where someone stole the script. The movie ends. Ranbir starts fighting off his sadness with a friendly self boxing match (watch out for this innovative reference which appears at least thrice) and Rani goes to the production office to collect her last installment of remuneration after through with her 'sutradhar' act.

One actually feels sad for the cast and crew of the film. Ranbir is a very good actor and one can see that he has given his all to come up with a fine act. Confident in front of camera and very likeable, Ranbir is an actor who can fit into different genres as he progresses further in his career. Still, apart from dropping his sensibilities to be convinced about the part he plays, he is also forced to drop his towel. Sonam on the other hand is a mixed bag. Mostly average, at places she does demonstrate good control over her emotions and body language. However, whenever she does her child-woman act, she becomes theatrical.

Rani Mukherjee is very good in her street-smart prostitute act though Salman in a 10 minutes screen presence is a bore as he sleepwalks through the instructions as laid down to him by his director. Zohra Sehgal and Begum Para are required to play the stereotype Catholic and Muslim characters respectively.

Since the film is so dimly lit throughout due to it being set in the night, one feels pity for the cameramen who would have gone half blind trying to capture the correct frames. On the other hand the art director would have wished that the film's story would have elevated his hard work to a different level. Monty's music is a mixed bag as the title song 'Saawariya' and 'Mashaallah' turn out to be the pick of the lot.

I am sorry Ramu. I am sorry Anurag Kashyap. I was heartbroken when I was disappointed by your AAG and NO SMOKING respectively. Couldn't help it since your reputation made me expect wonders from you. But Sanjay Leela Bhansali's SAAWARIYA has made me completely forget the two films that were most mercilessly panned by one and all. That's because when 2007 ends, until and unless one of the 5 major films up for release turn out to be an even troublesome experience, SAAWARIYA would stand out as the biggest cinematic blunder of the current times.