Mar 17, 2007 10:27 AM
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Finally, in 2007 arrives a film where I didn’t wait for the interval, nor did I fidget around for the end to arrive; where the proceedings on screen were crispier than the pop-corn and the narration had more fizz than the Pepsi; where there is filminess to keep me engrossed yet it s rooted in enough realism to ensure credibility. Meghna Gulzar’s second directorial venture is - to put it straight and simple - a delightful film!
Although it has a shaky start (and I had feared that another evening would go waste) but once the lead pair are married off, it settles into a cozy pace, weaving in little nuances and moments, adding rich characters and embellished with subtle humor.
I am deliberately not telling anything about the story or about these bitter-sweet movies with which the entire movie is suitably filled up. In any case, more than the story, it’s Meghna’s warm script that endears the viewers. Some embarrassing and hesitant moments between the newly wed couple are so brilliantly executed that they seem straight off someone’s real life! In the recent past there have been several films on marriage and couples, and Just Married is easily the best amongst them!
Everyone has performed extremely well and I was pleasantly surprised by Esha Deol’s absolutely stunning portrayal of a diffident and uncertain young bride, caught in an arranged marriage that she hadn’t dreamt of. She fits the part beautifully, and in some scenes she just holds attention with just a slight shiver of her body or a cautious gaze of her expressive eyes.
Fardeen Khan is the second surprise again, Meghna’s casting hits the bull’s eye, because he fits the character and under her direction gives probably his best performance ever. He exudes a warm confidence and comes across very affable.
There are a plethora of supporting cast - of which, Satish Shah and Kirron Kher are the most endearing; an elderly couple constantly bickering but deeply in love. They provide the funniest part and together are a riot on screen! Bikram Saluja, Perizaad, Sadiya Siddiqui, Mukul Dev and Raj Zutshie are all well-suited to their respective roles and add value.
Pritam’s music has been properly placed in the film, and of course, Gulzar’s lyrics are as ever full of everyday imagery.
The direction is unhurried and uncluttered. Like her father, Meghna has peppered it with oodles of metaphors. She has written the dialogues as well and they jell with the script. There are some portions that look extraneous and could have been edited out, but that s being overtly finicky. Also, like the start, she falters a bit in the climax, making it a wee bit too melodramatic and outlandish (involving a bus accident) but overall since the film held much interest, I’d let it all these negatives pass. It’s the body of the film which matters, and there Meghna succeeds!
Overall - Just Don’t Miss It Ever!
