I was practically forced by my family to watch this flick as it was Papa’s birthday yesterday, and Ma wanted me to get out of my computer room, by hook or by crook. However much I insisted that its my exam on Monday and that the film’s pathetic, I had to give in after half an hour of argument, which, as always, is won by Ma…Read on to find out if this movie was worth it or not:
THE CHARACTERS AND THE PLOT:
There are basically four principal characters around whom the story revolves. There’s Dr.Sinha (Amitabh Bachchan), a dedicated, sacrificing doctor who gives it all to run his hospital in a remote hill-station (which mostly lies in financial doldrums). Such is his love for this hospital that he ignores his own health, in order to take the institution up there with the best. Sensitive, and heart-warming, he takes his last breath as he runs with a bleeding child, and gets a cardiac arrest. So who’s going to fulfil his dream.
Of course his son, Akash (Anil Kapoor), who is actually already on his father’s footsteps being a dedicated doctor that he is. Akash’s love blossoms beautifully, as Dr.Neha (Gracy Singh) enters the hospital as an anaesthetist. All’s well till the rich and arrogant Sonia Kapoor (Preity Zinta) enters the scene. Falling head-over-heels on Akash, her love for the boy turns obsessive, and the spoilt brat that she is, she ‘buys’ Akash in lieu of some 15 crores which her overtly-rich dad (Randhir Kapoor) hands over to Akash so that he can refurbish and fill the father’s hospital.
So, Dr. Sinha’s dream does see the light of the day? But what about Akash? Does he live happily ever after? Doesn’t his conscience strike him? And Neha—what happens to her? And does the arrogant Sonia tolerate Neha after knowing that Akash had an affair with Neha? For all these questions, I advise you better watch the flick.
MY REVIEW:
The Direction and the Moments:
Armaan is script-writer Honey Irani’s directorial debut. Expectations were high because Honey has written some engrossing films like Aaina, Kya Kehna, DDLJ. In my thinking, she does show some control over the medium, with the way she has masterfully handled some of the sequences in the film. The moments mentioned below were drenched in emotions, and did touch the viewer in the way they were enacted and treated:
·The initial reels where Neha and Akash romance blooms is very cutely presented, and thanks to the chemistry between Anil and Gracy plus some refreshingly normal dialogues, and two soothing ditties, the sequence starts the soothing tempo of the flick.
·The whole sequence where Dr.Sinha runs with the bleeding child and gets a cardiac arrest en-route to the way his soul leaves his body on the hospital bed is simply brilliant. Excellently acted, and treated, this one straight heads for your tear-ducts. I identified it even more, as only recently I lost my Dadi to a heart-stroke as well, so you can imagine my condition when the images from the real life haunted me.
·Preity’s continuous face-off and manipulation in the second half does keep you on the tenterhooks. All her actions, her intentions come unexpected and hook the viewer. The climax is also very well executed, even though it broils with predictability.
The Script and the Technicalities
Armaan falters heavily in its script. Written by the director itself, the been-there-seen-that feel is always there. Another minus-point is Armaan’s setting in a medical environment. The film, as evident from the trailers and the credits (the ECG style credits), has tried to pass off as a film relating to the life of doctors, but indeed falters into the oft-repeated Bollywood theme. Of course, I hadn’t expected any ‘live’ operations (though a few operations do occur—but you only see the face of the doctor just asking for instruments or screaming at his colleagues). The medical theme is just relegated to the background and if you are on a lookout for some serious episodes that the doctors go through, M2M me, or Nan Didi (firstautumn). Then there are many questions left unanswered? Was the child for which Amitabh passed away saved? A doctor of Amitabh’s calibre without even a mobile to contact his hospital was also glaring when he was running.
What it doesn’t deliver in the script, makes for in the treatment. The ‘fresh’ feel of the film is retained throughout thanks to the sync sound in which the film is recorded and unique camera and lightwork. Like the song “Mere Dil Ka Tumse” looks awesome with a yellow tinge all over the screen. Lighting is purposely kept natural and there are no unnecessary light-focus on the characters to rob away the film’s life-like feel. Make-up and styling adds to the uniqueness of the characters. And though Amitabh and Preity may look awkward in the trailers, in the film, the get-ups provide the unique angle to their clichéd characters. Editing is functional, and dialogues bubble with spontaneity. Cinematography is again fine, beautifully capturing the soothing outdoors, and the subdued indoors in the film. The music of the film continues to carry the soothing feel of the film, and none of the numbers jar. “Mere Dil Ka Tumse”, “Tu Hi Bata Zindagi” and “Meri Zindagi Mein Aaye Ho” impress with their tunes, picturisation and placement, though they don’t take the movie forward, and only emphasise the character’s state of minds.
THE PERFORMANCES:
Probably the hero of the film is Preity Zinta. Once again she brings the house down with a performance that’ll sure earn her accolades. As Sonia, she fits the bill perfectly of an arrogant, spoilt, heady, loud-mouthed girl whose insecurities take the better of her after marriage and she turns into an always-suspecting, overtly-obsessive wife ready to throw Neha out of reach from Aakash. Though the role holds uncanny resemblance to Amrita’s in Aaina and Urmila in Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya, Preity adds a hundred shades with her unique hefty style and body language. Simply the best! Amitabh comes a close second, with another superlative performance, but is bogged down by a clichéd characterisation. Till the time he’s on-screen, he rules. The other two stars, Anil and Gracy have particularly one-dimensioned characters, which, limits their performance. Anil hasn’t done anything new, for getting torn between the two leading ladies is exactly what he did in Pukar and Judaai. And while Gracy does radiate natural charm, her inability to add shades to Neha’s character means the performance isn’t as polished as Preity’s. Randhir Kapoor makes an unwanted comeback, though the rest of the cast impresses.
TO SEE OR NOT…
I can’t believe I am writing a positive conclusion. But I beg to differ, the film isn’t as pathetic as its made out to be. The treatment of the subject tugs at your heart, and with some excellent performances to boot, its definitely watchable. What, however leaves you (the critic) with a bitter taste, is Armaan’s inability to pass off as a film dedicated to the medical fraternity. Only God knows, when Bollywood will be able to make a serious, life-like film on the life of doctors.
For now, go on and enjoy this clean, unadulterated family film that sure entertains while it lasts. Just Let it flow. Its not the best, and neither does it claim to be. As of now, it remains one of the better-made Hindi films of 2003. Period.
…..Hope you liked the review….Do comment if time permits…
© Karan 2003
