Buzzing Movies

Laaga Chunari Mein Daag is director Pradeep Sarkar’s second venture, after the successful Parineeta. Parineeta was a known story, but the performances, screenplay, art, music and the lead pair worked for the movie. Laaga...is a new script, but it’s an old story, and just too predictable. Parineeta was a Vidhu Vinod Chopra production, and this one is Yash Raj-somehow the difference becomes evident, with the same director’s taking being different in each movie.

Plot Vibhavri and Subhavri a.k.a. Badki and Chutki are living with their parents in an ancestral home with their once-rich now-penniless parents. Badki is aware of her parents’ position, with a court case for the acquisition of the house by her uncle, her father’s ill health and no money for anything. She goes to Mumbai for a job, and fails to get one owing to the lack of good education or English speaking skills.

Story, Screenplay or Direction The storyline is cliched, but the twists look forced. One major flaw is when she decides to become an ‘escort’, and Michelle (Suchitra Pillai) gives her the idea and a makeover. Somehow, the desperation comes across but the decision scene is totally flawed. It drags to that point, then it is hurried. The relationship between Rani and Abhishek, and the climax looks completely fake. The first half and the climax are predictable.

This follows a format. Unemployed men, a girl, a sub-plot, cops, goons and confusion. Within the format, it is good. It doesn't make for memorable cinema and it is a one-time watch.

The second half has some interesting parts, with Konkona coming and staying with her escort sister, without knowing her double life. The three Bong women in the cast-Jaya, Rani and Konkona give good performances. The first song, ‘Hum toh Aise Hai Bhaiyya’ shot on the banks of Ganga is good. That’s where the good part begins and ends.

The sewing-machine bound mother, the penniless but proud father, the evil uncle with his evil eye on their large ancestral home and his equally evil son-all such stereotyped characters. There is absolutely no subtlety in the writing, the crucial scenes and the characters. Rani and Konkona’s costumes while in Benares are really nice, courtesy Sabyasachi.

Performances Rani and Konkona are the reason one manages to sit through the movie. They light up the screen and make the best of the shaky script. Abhishek Bachchan’s cameo is dumb, no other word for it. Kunal Kapoor is natural. Anupam Kher hams. Tinnu Anand and Sushant Singh have badly written characters to portray. Harsh Chayya and Murali Sharma are good. Tarana, Ninad Kamat and Suchitra Pillai do justice to their roles. Hema Malini’s special appearance is alright.

Song and Dance ‘Hum to Aise…’ is lovely and warm. ‘Kacchi Kaliya’ is hummable but badly choreographed.

Last Word This movie has several daag (stains) on it. The script and the climax are flawed, and only a few sequences of the movie really have something in it. Otherwise, it’s a big-budget production and a really average movie.

End Credits

Starring:Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukherjee, Konkona Sen Sharma, Jaya Bachchan, Anupam Kher, Kunal Kapoor, Hema Malini, Murli Sharma, Kamini Kaushal, Harsh Chhaya, Tinu Anand, Sushant Singh, Tarana Raja, Suchitra Pillai, Ninaad Kamat and Others.
Art: Pradeep Sarkar, Eldridge Rodrigues, Kesto Mondal & Tanushree Sarkar.
Choreography: Howard Rosemeyer.
Director Of Photography: Sushil Rajpal.
Editing: Kaushik Das.
Lyrics: Swanand Kirkire.
Music: Shantanu Moitra.
Screenplay & Dialogues: Rekha Nigam.
Sound Design: Bishwadeep Chatterjee.
Director: Pradeep Sarkar.
Producer(s): Aditya Chopra & Pradeep Sarkar.
Banner: Yash Raj Films.
Release Date: 12th October, 2007.

Labels: abhishek bachan, hema malini, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, rani mukerjee

Posted by Raj on Thursday, 1 November, 2007 at 1:42 PM | Permalink