Indian movies

Pure and unadulterated -- two words that do justice to Vishal Bhardwaj's cinematic adaptation of Ruskin Bond's novella THE BLUE UMBRELLA. That Vishal is an adept storyteller is known by now. In THE BLUE UMBRELLA, he goes back to his directorial debut. If MAKDEE was about a village girl and a witch, THE BLUE UMBRELLA is about an umbrella that becomes the object of envy in a hamlet in Himachal Pradesh.

Stories like the one narrated in THE BLUE UMBRELLA are a rarity today, since the focus is on a large canvas and larger than life stars. THE BLUE UMBRELLA is set in a hamlet and essentially revolves around an umbrella, a kid and a tea stall owner.

The handling of the subject material is interesting, but the fact remains that the film has its limitations. It caters to a small section of moviegoers, the connoisseurs of cinema, thereby restricting its appeal to select multiplexes in select cities.

The story unfurls with the discovery of a vibrant blue umbrella by Biniya [Shreya Sharma], an eleven-year-old girl from an idyllic mountain village in North India. She has never seen anything more striking and beautiful. Neither has Nandkishore Khatri [Pankaj Kapur].

Khatri runs a small tea stall in the village. He is a miser who has a fondness for pickles and swindling kids off their little possessions. Khatri is smitten by the beauty of the umbrella and goes to remarkable lengths to acquire it, but fails miserably.

However, Khatri is not the only one to covet the umbrella. The umbrella's arrival disturbs the tranquility and harmony of the village. Biniya's secret weapon gives her an enviable power over the small town, as the umbrella assumes mythical status.

One fine day, the umbrella goes missing…

As a storyteller, Vishal Bhardwaj has a knack of narrating a story well and also extracting wonderful performances from the cast. In THE BLUE UMBRELLA, the director succeeds in conveying a message [greed can ruin the best of relationships] forcefully towards the end, when the entire village boycotts Pankaj Kapur for robbing the umbrella. The second hour, in particular the concluding reels, are highly absorbing.

However, the film can do with some trimming in the second hour. Cinematography is inconsistent. Why is the lighting too dark at times, especially during indoor sequences? Otherwise, the outdoor work is remarkable.

Pankaj Kapur is in top form yet again, although, at times, his dialogues aren't audible. Shreya Sharma is a terrific discovery. She stands on her feet, despite being pitted with a towering performer like Kapur. The remaining cast is alright.

On the whole, THE BLUE UMBRELLA is a well-made film, but it's for a handful of viewers in a handful of cities. More for the Festival circuit.

Really big expectations? Oh yes! With the premier production house [Yash Raj] at the helm of affairs and Shaad Ali in the director's seat, JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM is expected to strike like a hurricane.

Let's come to the point straightaway. Don't look for a story in JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM. For, there's none here. What you get to see is a collage of interesting moments. It's not one of those conventional prem kahanis that have the lovers drifting apart or a misunderstanding creating havoc in their lives.

What goes against the film is the fact that you feel a vacuum at the end of the screening. Something is amiss. Sure, you are enamored by the gloss. You are awe-struck by the stunning locales of U.K. and France. You are hooked to the performances of Abhishek and Preity mainly. But, deep inside, it doesn't satiate you.

To sum up, JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM is all gloss, no substance. Body beautiful, minus soul. In desi lingo, unchi dukaan, phika pakwaan.

Busy London station. Delayed train from Birmingham. Two strangers waiting for the train... Rikki Thukral [Abhishek Bachchan], born in Bhatinda, living in London; and Alvira Khan [Preity Zinta], more Brit than the Queen herself, however with Lahori blood in her veins.

Crowded café. One table to share. Two hours to kill. Perfect setting for the start of a love-story. Hitch? Both Rikki and Alvira are engaged and have come to pick up their fiancés, who are coming by the same train. To kill time, they end up telling each other their “how I met my fiancé” stories.

Rikki met his fiancé Anaida [Lara Dutta] at The Ritz, Paris. Alvira discovers her prince at Madame Tussaud's. When a gigantic wax model of Superman falls from the ceiling, Alvira is a sitting target. But Steve [Bobby Deol], a lawyer by profession, saves her life, but steals her heart.

Stories unfold, time passes, the two strangers start enjoying each other. Actually, they have gotten alarmingly attracted to each other!

Director Shaad Ali has handled a number of sequences well. Actually, come to think of it, you do enjoy a few moments in this 14 reeler. But can you stretch a rubberband beyond a point? That's what the writer does.

Writer Habib Faisal's screenplay is as taxing as driving in monsoons on a road full of potholes. When you realize the film offers no story, you sit motionless, flexing your facial muscles at times, but remaining indifferent to the goings-on generally. The director and writer have substituted the script with stunning visuals. But that's no compensation. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is quite good. 'Ticket To Hollywood' is the track you carry home. The title track is another foot-tapping composition. Cinematography is exceptional. The film is a visual treat. Choreography [Vaibhavi Merchant] is different, but Abhishek carries it off very well. Aki Narula's costumes are smashing.

JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM belongs to Abhishek first and Preity next. Abhishek is in terrific form. It wouldn't be erroneous to state that his performance makes the goings-on watchable at times. A lesser actor would've fallen flat on his face in the absence of a cohesive script.

Preity is lovely and takes to her character like a fish to water. In fact, the two actors make an attractive pair. Bobby is relegated to the backseat. Also, would someone please tell Mr. Deol to chop off those locks? Lara Dutta is confident, though she's not in the forefront either. Amitabh Bachchan adds to star-value. He only appears in one song, flashed throughout the movie.

On the whole, JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM is no patch on Yash Raj's illustrious films. The film is all gloss, no substance. Body beautiful, minus soul. At the box-office, the all-powerful Yash Raj brand coupled with the lack of biggies will ensure substantial revenue for its producers/distributors in the initial days, proving that sometimes, a bad film also makes money.