1995,
Kashmir. When single screen cinemas like Faraz & Sheila in Srinagar were
turned into a full-fledged army camps & detention centers, we at the other
side were probably unscathed enjoying those terribly silly love-stories on VHS
in our drawing rooms and least bothered about that ‘integral part’ of our
country. Calling it ‘integral’ itself is an irony. We normally don’t do that to
other states. Are we? Vishal Bhardwaj’s HAIDER is a strong political statement retold
and represented covered in the long dark shrouds of Shakespearian emotional
saga. It’s depressingly sad, gloomy, violent, nerve-racking and makes you bleed
emotionally.
Haider
[Played by Shahid Kapoor] returns to his soil after his father goes missing in
the bleak times of militancy contaminating the Jhelum waters. The disappearance
soon gets linked with the unseen before closeness between his mother [Immeasurably
talented Tabu] and his power-hungry uncle [Kay Kay Menon in a well-suited comfortable
role]. The hunt for the missing and the haunting ache of losing all his
emotional supports lands him into the fiery world of hatred, vengeance and
revolt at personal front.
Adopted from ‘Hamlet’ of William Shakespeare, HAIDER suffers
from the 'Chutzpah' of Vishal Bhardwaj as a deep and sound filmmaker who
ruthlessly puts you through the gloomiest atmospheric tale of Kashmir in the
times of brutal political turmoil. This is the time of ambiguity when even the
closest to your heart can ask you, “Whose side are you on?”. This is the time
when ‘Freedom’ merely has just one connotation to it. The burnt doors, broken
windows, unclaimed houses and people holding their identity cards waiting in
line for getting searched; Bhardwaj sensitively paints the pain and melancholia
in the air. There is a scene actually where a man in a mental shock refuses to
enter his own house before being searched by anyone. Created to give you a
moment to laugh but really?
In its one of the most comical sequences, Vishal Bhardwaj gives
us two of Salman Khan fans who also share the name with Salman and run a VHS parlor.
There are also moments and elements snitched from the original work like the
slightest intimation of layered mother-son relationship. It does make you
uncomfortable at first but the makers deserve a pat on back for such bold
baby-step. In other, watch out for the old gravediggers stealing the moment at
the climax.
And now the performances! Not many might be familiar with
Narendra Jha by name but this man exceeds all expectations as a fine performer
in the role of Haider’s father. You will find Kashmir in him in all senses.
Tabu as an unsettling soul seeking serenity is a mesmerizing presence on screen.
She makes us miss her more in films. Kay Kay Menon is comfortably in his zone. Somehow,
this is a role we have seen him wearing like a skin. Shraddha Kapoor doesn’t
leave any scope to complain. Irrfan Khan in a special appearance brings a good
amount of joy and a flare of surprise.
And then there is Shahid Kapoor! Where in the first part he
hardly shows anything unforeseen and mostly repeats himself, in the second half
he completely blows you off with a brilliantly acted monologue piece and
constantly reinventing his acting skills!
Despite all this, there is of course a muddled
theatrical concluding part, bearably lengthy duration of nearly 3 hours and
harshly done back and forth narrative to offer a bumpy ride and a sense of dissatisfaction
but the melancholic shades in the characters and in the character of Kashmir
both painted beautifully by some of the most sincere and serious performances
make HAIDER an experience worth putting your time and money in. A bollywood
film trying to speak is rare and should get a warm welcome! (4/5)
