संजू: दत्त, रनबीर, हिरानी...मनोरंजन सब पर भारी! [3.5/5]

क्या कोई भी 3 घंटे की फिल्म या 400 पन्नों की किताब किसी भी जीवित या मृत व्यक्ति या उसके व्यक्तित्व के बारे में आपकी राय बदलने में कामयाब हो सकती है? नहीं. भले ही वो फिल्म राजकुमार हिरानी जैसे चहेते फ़िल्मकार ने ही क्यूँ न बनायी हो. क्या राजकुमार हिरानी ने ‘संजू’ के साथ संजय दत्त की छवि सुधारने की ऐसी कोई कोशिश की है? मुझे नहीं लगता. संजय दत्त जैसे सनसनीखेज जिंदगी जीने वाले मशहूर शख्सियत से जुड़ा हर पहलू जानने-समझने-टटोलने के लिए ‘संजू’ कम पड़ जाती है. तय वक़्त के कथानक में पिरोने के लिए घटनाओं के अपने चुनाव में भी, और मनोरंजन को मद्देनजर रख कर उन घटनाओं के इर्द-गिर्द अतिरंजित भावनाओं का जाल बुनने में भी. जाल शब्द का इस्तेमाल बहुत सोच समझकर कर रहा हूँ. अभिजात जोशी के साथ मिलकर हिरानी स्क्रिप्ट लिखते वक़्त ‘LCD’ फ़ॉर्मूले को ध्यान में रखते हैं, यानी कागज़ पर लिखे जिस दृश्य में LAUGHTER, CRY या DRAMA नहीं, उसका फिल्म में बने रहना जरूरी नहीं. इस गरज़ से, ‘संजू’ मनोरंजक लगने की कोशिश करते हुए ज्यादा नज़र आती है, और सिनेमाई तौर पर परिपक्व या सम्पूर्ण फिल्म होने का हक़ खोती चली जाती है.

संजय दत्त तमाम बदनामियों और अपनी ‘बिगडैल’ छवि के बावजूद, दर्शकों के एक बहुत बड़े हिस्से के चहेते अभिनेता रहे हैं. उनसे जुड़े हजारों किस्सों और किंवदंतियों में उन्हें तलाशना अपने आप में किसी रहस्य से कम नहीं है. हिरानी उनकी जिंदगी को जब अपनी सीधी-सरल, पर बेहद चमकदार रंगीन दुनिया में जगह देते हैं, आपकी उम्मीद रहती है कि आप हिरानी की मदद से इस पहेली को आसानी से सुलझा पायेंगे. ऐसा नहीं होता. कम से कम हर बार नहीं होता. ‘संजू’ में बहुत सारा कुछ ऐसा है, जो आपको असलियत से परे लगता है. अक्सर ‘क्या ऐसा हुआ था?’ से कहीं आगे बढ़कर आप ‘अरे, ऐसा थोड़े ही हुआ होगा’ की तरफ पहुँचने लगते हैं. और उसकी वजह शायद हर बार हिरानी साब का ‘मनोरंजन’ को लेकर अपना एक ख़ास नजरिया और तय रवैया ही है. 4 सफल फिल्मों के बाद, अब दर्शक के तौर पर आपको भी उनके दांव-पेंच समझ आने लग गये हैं. चौंकाने के लिए अब हिरानी साब के तरकश में कम ही तीर बचे हैं. हालाँकि अभी भी आप और हम उनसे उबेंगे नहीं, पर बासीपने के हलकी गंध आने लग पड़ी है.

‘संजू’ का पहला हिस्सा संजय दत्त (रनबीर कपूर) और ड्रग्स के साथ उनकी उठा-पटक के नाम रहता है. इस दौरान, कथानक में माँ नर्गिस जी (मनीषा कोईराला) की बीमारी, उनकी असामयिक मृत्यु, बेटे को ड्रग्स के दलदल से निकालने में पिता सुनील दत्त (परेश रावल) की नाकाम कोशिशों और संजय की ख़ुद से ही लड़ाई को अहमियत मिलती है. हलके-फुल्के पलों और एक-दो इमोशनल दृश्यों के अलावा, इस हिस्से में अगर कुछ आपको बहुत बांधे रखता है, तो वो है संजय के दोस्त कमलेश (विक्की कौशल) का किरदार. परदे पर विक्की के आते ही जैसे कोई तूफ़ान सा उठने लगता है. इस किरदार के बारे में आपको शायद ही पहले से कुछ पता रहा हो. संजय के साथ कमलेश की दोस्ती के पल हों, या इंटरवल से ठीक पहले कमलेश का एक सनसनीखेज खुलासा; इस एक किरदार के साथ आप हमेशा उत्सुक और उत्साहित रहते हैं. यही एक किरदार है, जो संजय के साथ-साथ रहते हुए कहानी में एक अलग तरह की निरपेक्षता और सकारात्मकता लेकर आता है. यहाँ तक कि पहली मुलाक़ात में ही संजय को दो-टूक सुनाने की हिम्मत दिखा देता है.  

संजय दत्त के अंडरवर्ल्ड से रिश्तों और एके-47 रायफल रखने के वाकये से होकर येरवडा जेल से छूटने तक का सफ़र फिल्म का दूसरा हिस्सा बनता है, जहां ज्यादातर कोशिशें और वक़्त मामले को लेकर संजय की सफाई के इर्द-गिर्द ही घूमता रहता है. पिछले हिस्से में जहां परदे का संजय (रनबीर) असल जिंदगी के संजय पर हर लहजे से हावी होता दिखाई दे रहा था, यहाँ तक आते-आते संजय दत्त का हालिया व्यक्तित्व आपको ज्यादा भाने लगता है. ‘मुन्नाभाई एमबीबीएस’ घटने और संजू के ‘बाबा’ बनने के दौर और दृश्य खासे सुहावने लगते हैं. हालाँकि हिरानी का फार्मूला अब भी आपको परेशान कर ही रहा होता है. दोस्तों के बीच गलतफहमियों से पनपी दूरियों को सुलझाने का दृश्य ‘पीके’ के उस दृश्य की याद दिलाता है, जहां जग्गू और सरफ़राज़ शामिल हैं. कहानी को लम्बे-चौड़े बयानों में बोल बोल कर बताने की कला आप ‘3 इडियट्स’ में देख ही चुके हैं. यहाँ तक कि गानों में सपनीली दुनिया की सैर करते किरदारों (3 इडियट्स का ‘ज़ुबी-ज़ुबी’) का प्रयोग यहाँ भी ख़ूब (‘रूबी-रूबी’) इस्तेमाल होता है.

अभिनय में, ‘संजू’ पूरी तरह रनबीर में ढली-रची-बसी फिल्म है. सोनम कपूर के साथ बाथरूम वाला दृश्य हो, या फिर परेश रावल के साथ इमोशनल सीन्स; रनबीर संजय दत्त की तरह सिर्फ चलने, बोलने या दिखने से परे लगते हैं. परदे पर उनके होते हुए कुछ और देखने-सुनने की चाह भी नहीं रहती, हालाँकि विक्की कौशल के साथ वाले दृश्यों में उन्हें साफ़ टक्कर मिलती है. विक्की यहाँ अपने पूरे रंग में हैं. रनबीर जैसे बेहतर अभिनेता के सामने होते हुए भी उनकी अदाकारी में एक छटांक को भी बिखराव नहीं दिखता. आखिर में, ‘संजू’ एक ऐसी फिल्म हैं जिसके मुख्य किरदार से आप पहले से ही वाकिफ हैं, और उसके बारे में जितना जानते हैं उतना ही और जानना चाहते हैं. इस लिहाज़ से ‘संजू’ आपको छोटे-बड़े ढेर सारे मजेदार किस्से सुना डालती है. अब आपको तय करना है, हिरानी के फार्मूले में कौन कितना फिट बैठ गया था, और कौन सा बैठाया गया था? बहरहाल, मीडिया को  ‘एकतरफ़ा’ ठहराने की कोशिश में फिल्म गंभीरता की ओर जरूर बढती दिखती है, पर आप इसे सिर्फ और सिर्फ मनोरंजन के चश्मे से ही देखने की जेहमत उठाएं, तो बेहतर नतीजे मिलेंगे. [3.5/5]           

WAZIR: Stylish But Not Smart Enough! [2/5]

While talking about Bejoy Nambiar’s WAZIR, let’s not talk about anything related to the game of Chess. I fear, it might sound something smart, edgy and intelligent. And I don’t want to give any wrong impressions. It does try to look like one but it is not. So, we better stick to the movie and not the game. Based on an original (?) story by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, WAZIR couldn’t have been any better directorial vehicle for Nambiar. He’s known for those over-stylized crime-thrillers (SHAITAN, DAVID) that sure are racy-pacy but also predictable at the end and too manipulative in terms of throwing some loud-mouthed ‘smart’ twists and turns at you. WAZIR is exactly that but then, where is the midas touch of Vidhu Vinod Chopra-Abhijat Joshi collaboration on the writing front? Oh, I remember there is a shred of Bachchan Mania that brings him on board in a magical make-up phenomenon [like in EKLAVYA] and a trivial bit of Kashmir too. So much for Mr. Chopra!

WAZIR sets pieces to bring two of tormented souls struggling with identical grieves together over the chess-board. Danish Ali [Farhan Akhtar] from Anti-terrorist Squad is facing his wife’s [Aditi Rao Hydri] rejection and repulsion for losing her daughter in a terrorist encounter. Enters wheelchair-ridden Pundit Omkar Nath Dhar [Amitabh Bachchan] sharing the pain of similar loss of his young daughter in a mysterious accident. A union minister [Manav Kaul] is on his radar as a prime suspect of the murder. And then, begins the game of chess where metaphors like ‘pyada’ ‘wazir’ ‘badshah’ get much of exposures in dialogues but hardly sound considerable in actual actions. In one of the scenes, Pundit ji throws a momentous line at Danish about how it’s all about timing in the game of chess but there is no timing to play the chess; and Danish hits back with a plain, simple and straight-faced reaction as ‘Bakwaas’. I wanted these kind of verbal punches more in the film than relying on a heroic shootout, a couple of ‘race against time’ chase sequences and some soulful melodies only to give the director a framework to fit some of his trademark shots i.e. capturing rainfall in slow-motion.

WAZIR’s strength, without a doubt, finds its traces in its supremely competent cast. Though making Mr. Bachchan’s character wheelchair-ridden looks mere a gimmick, he never lets you feel the same about his performance. He’s easy, effortless and a pro but again, the writing holds him back restricting it to not make it to the list of his bests. Farhan tries hard and succeeds in a couple of emotionally-charged scenes. His quick ‘spur-of-the-moment’ real reactions do grab your attention for most of the scenes. Aditi Rao Hydari looks good on her part, and makes you wanting more of her, once again. Manav Kaul does it again with his skilled acting ability to perform the part with absolute honesty. His subtly to be in a scene and in a space made exclusively for him is never overpowering or too imposing to make anyone feel unsettled, and it’s rare. My only expectation from his intellect was to have a Kashmiri dialect as his character is sketched like one and he’s too not alien to the place in actual.

Overall, WAZIR is one of those thrillers that make all the deliberate attempts to be able to overwhelm you with its calculated twists in the plot without showing any respect to your intellect. I could see this coming from a first-time filmmaker who doesn’t live in hopes to have a second chance, thus applying every trick to impress the viewers but not from someone so established. Play smartly; don’t play smart! [2/5]  

BROKEN HORSES: ‘Parinda’ takes an ambitious flight, lands safely! [3.5/5]

Stories bound by love, driven by passion and led by sincerity never fail to connect. Neither did PARINDA, nor does BROKEN HORSES. Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s doorway to Hollywood; BROKEN HORSES is an emotionally charged, confident to the core and a well-made thriller that consciously makes you revisit and relive the filmmaker’s one of the bests in Bollywood PARINDA. So, the million dollar question on you face must be, “Is it a remake?” Let me phrase the answer in a more welcoming and established way. It is an effort to take one’s own highly regarded work to a bigger scale and in a better framework. BROKEN HORSES successfully plants Mr. Chopra in the league of those few technically evolved & resourcefully sound in their art & craftsmanship regardless how different or difficult the medium is.

Set in the outskirts of Mexican Border, the film involves the heartwarming bond between two orphaned brothers. For them, the wisdom-quotes from their childhood still go hand-in-hand in any given situation. If the big brother is taught to protect the younger one, he would never lose his sight of him for once. Meanwhile, the younger one would always let the big one win at the checkers. Jacob Heckum [Anton Yelchin] returns to bring his elder brother Buddy [Chris Marquette] for his wedding, without having any hint that Buddy is now the most-loved killing machine of Mr. Hench [Vincent D’Onofirio]; and the only way out of this deep, dark & dodgy mountain is to blast it inside out. Jacob decides to stay and help to save his brother.

If you have seen and loved PARINDA (…and who hasn’t? I seriously want to know), there are times you feel cheated as why wouldn’t Mr. Chopra has made it clear and upfront that this is an adaptation of his one of the original works. But try to calm yourself down, and you will also cherish the fact that this one is less dramatic, more emotional and made for an unlike set of audiences. Vidhu orchestrates some really delicious scenes to show off great caliber. In one, the shootouts are shown with intercuts of oranges being squeezed and later, being served in a glass to the mobster as the confirmation of the job being done. The cinematography plays with mirror-images, iconic landscapes, the sun-shades and is first-rate.

Film also sees some real-good performances. In Buddy’s simpleton yet childlike vulnerable character, Marquette performs excellently and towers in almost every scene he is in. Be it the emotional family union at dining-table at the ranch or the menacing act at the theatre; he and the contagious grin on his face are just superb. Don’t miss him interacting with the love of his younger brother, Vittoria (Maria Volverede) with an unseen before love and care. Anton Yelchin as the feared and alarmed younger brother is good. So is Maria playing his love-interest! The talented D’Onofirio marks his presence felt with his portrayal of a cool, crafty & convincing villain. Scenes with him corrupting and controlling Buddy’s mind are an interesting watch.

To sum up, doing anything that involves a classic is a bad bad idea. I know the comparisons are inevitable. The element of surprise in the plot also comes late until the well-tweaked climax happens but if you can overlook the similarities between the two, there are chances to notice the ambitious and striving flight the film & the filmmaker take. Impressive debut, Mr. Chopra! [3.5/5] 

PK: Oh, My God! Year’s most entertaining Film! [5/5]

You can’t question religion. You can’t ask for logical explanations when it comes to one’s faith. We are not supposed to do that. We are not taught to do that. You have to be either an alien or an escapee from the nearest mental asylum. PK [played by the calculative risk-taker & a game-changer in many cases Aamir Khan] is one such rare genus. His level of indulgence with our worldly Gods is absolutely ‘out of this world’. His child-like innocence can bombard questions of all kind without giving you much time to think and react. He can also make you thunderstruck with his logical demonstrations about things you never bothered or rather apprehended to ask about. No doubt, he looks like a distant and conscientiously more intuitive cousin to Fungshuk Wangdu of 3 IDIOTS.  

‘PK’ is another gem of Rajkumar Hirani’s school of film-making where success can also be formulated by assimilating an unfussy entertainment of dramatic but simple nature & a ‘never gets preachy’ social message weaved in good humor and honest emotions. So when PK- the untainted innocent soul discovers people buying goods of their needs simply by exchanging a piece of paper with an old man’s picture [our very own ‘father of the nation] printed on it, he starts collecting every single poster & newspaper-cutting carrying his image. Next, we are made realize how we only respect the ‘financial’ worth and not the ‘moral’ values the man lived his life for.

‘PK’ also dares to question your blind-faith on forged Godmen from all religions. It’s high time we turn to humanity as our primary religious conviction rather than wasting our hard-money and the gifted wisdom to differentiate right from wrong on someone else’s phony tactics. As PK says in the film, the God who created us is very different from the ones we created. And the prayers we make through these age-old practices are nothing more than a ‘wrong number’ call.

The biggest strength of ‘PK’ is that it talks less and speaks more. There is hardly a scene where you don’t get thrashed by one or other social issues or expected human behavioral flaws in us; in a very subtle, explicable, logical and entertaining manner. The Bhojpuri texture to the lingo adds to it fervently and freely. It is one of the most sugary languages spoken across country; still very misinterpreted and wrongly portrayed and performed for Bollywood films. ‘PK’ also doesn’t do it flawlessly but certainly the respect is there. For a change, I am not offended this time!

Hirani and Abhijat Joshi’s taut and an almost flawless screenplay gives you ample hilarious as well as heartwarming moments. Anushka Sharma impresses with her sparkling presence very well translated into a lovely & lively character on screen. Saurabh Shukla and Boman Irani are efficiently likeable. Sushant Singh Rajput is charming and plays it cool, though is only for a shorter role. And who wouldn’t agree? The leading man leads like no one does better. Aamir is known to reinvent his acting abilities as well as the commercial cinema in India. This one takes his efforts to the next level. He gives us a multicolored paan-chewing character you will take home immediately.

And if could give you more about the film, I would be writing it hours in row. There is so much to cheer-so much to cherish; you wouldn’t mind it going twice in its first week. I am ready for the evening show. Till then; my only reaction to the film is if Bollywood is meant to follow the latest formula for recreating similar box-office success, are we going to see many more ‘PK’s in coming years? I am sure, the answer is negative. PK is outstanding! PK doesn’t come to us too often! Go; get a slice of it…NOW! [5/5]