'Simply' good. Review on Aaja Nachle

Sometimes movies can let you down for the right reasons. When you think you'd hit snooze, it turns out that it was actually the radio button, and something quite nice starts playing. So, if you are all fatigued after a long day, don’t slide ‘Aaja Nachle’ (Come, let us dance) into the DVD player and sit back. You might get disappointed. It is quite unlikely that you would be lulled into sleep.  And, if you happen to like Madhuri Dixit, and you thought she had stopped by at Yash Raj Films just to waive a hand and say hi to her fans, you’d be wrong again. With this movie, she gets back into her craft with such rekindled vigor, spontaneity, and sincerity that she makes her six+ years of hiatus look like a long weekend break.

Dia (Madhuri Dixit) is a New York dance teacher, and a divorced single mom. She sets off on a mission to her small township, Shamli, back in India, to fulfill her mentor’s (Gujarati theater actor, Darshan Zariwala) last wish – to resurrect his dance school ‘Ajanta Theater’ which she grew up with, and was the star of.  Eleven years ago, she had eloped to the US with Steve(Felix D’Alviella), a visiting National Geographic photographer. Still ostracized by the town which wants to build a shopping mall on the grounds of the now defunct theater, still disowned by her parents and friends, and greeted only by strong-willed politicians who challenge her ‘liberal’ arts mindset, Dia knows she has her work cut out for her.  Her little daughter, Radha, who keeps coming up with occasional gems of mixed-Hindi lines, at one point quips: ‘Mom, sab hate you’.  Determined, focused, and undaunted, Dia leverages the support of her daughter and a couple of loyal old friends, to fight on and prove what her Guru had always said: ‘Kala ko shahar ki nahin, shakar ko kala ki zaroorat hoti hai (It’s not art that needs the town. It’s the town that needs art)’. There is something to be said about her grit and her positive energy. Far from being ruffled by all the heckling and booing when she first moots the idea of revamping ‘Ajanta’, she even keeps herself busy picking the perfect hero for her dance drama, from among the hoodlums who are busy vandalizing her stage.

This is a maiden effort for cinematographer-turned-director Anil Mehta, and a very commendable one at that. As a cinematographer he shot such celebrated movies as Lagaan (2001), Veer-Zaara (2004), and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) for which he won the national award. Under his watchful eye, Mohanan shoots the ‘Lagaan’-like proceedings here with same ‘being there’ feel with which he shot ‘Lagaan’. The fitting finale here isn’t a match though. It is the successful staging of the dance drama ‘Laila-Majnu’ which helps Dia win her bet against the town, as represented by the local MP and the Raja of their bygone princely state (Akshaye Khannna).  Vaibhavi Merchant’s choreography and Madhuri’s flair for dancing make the ‘Ajanta’ performances real treats to watch. The title number is like watching ‘Mera Piya Ghar Aaya Oh Ramji’ all over again.  Madhuri defies age, and has a ball doing so.

‘Writer’/producer Aditya Chopra has to be commended for how well he applies his inspiration from famous Swedish director Ingmar Bergman’s ‘After the rehearsal’ (1984) to develop ‘Aja Nachle’’s broader storyline and its buoyant screenplay that is rather easy-moving, witty, and  simple (albeit overly so).

The role of Dia is cut out for Madhuri. As with the character she ‘lives’, she is the one and only star of the movie. The support cast is ably led by Akshaye Khanna. His demeanor as the suave LACOSTE-clad modern day Maharaja is very refreshing, convincing and natural. The other ‘cricket team’ of a cast which includes Kunal Kapoor, Konkana Sen, Vinay Pathak, Divya Dutta, Raghubir Yadav, Irrfan Khan, and of course Darshan Zariwala, fits in well with their support.

Salim-Sulaiman’s music scores a big one with the title song (Sunidhi Chauhan). Other numbers such as ‘O Re Piya (Rahat Fateh Ali Khan) and ‘Aisi Chali Hai Hawa’ (Shreya Ghoshal and Sonu Nigam) are very melodious too. As for the picturization, Mehta and Chopra shy away from the challenge of realism, and go for proven grandeur,  to show us the Broadway versions (and that is putting it mildly) of what are supposed to be small town, open-air theater performances. Any complaints with that, for a musical? Seriously!

Yes, it is jarring, but is it bothersome?