Resolved!!!. Review on Paheli

Amol Palekar films are known for their offbeat themes, sensitive scripts and sensible direction. Now when some commercial parameters add to his style of film-making, will he be able to sustain the high standards he has set all throughout his career? This question, in itself, is a Paheli.

Paheli:

A marriage procession stops for taking rest near a ghosts-inhabited tree. The groom, Kisan, is busy in his accounts instead of trying to have a glance at his bride, Lachchi. Lachchi lifts her veil (‘anchal’) for a moment and a ghost on the tree falls madly in love with her.

When the unloving Kisan leaves his newly-wed wife and goes ‘pardes’, for five years, to earn wealth, the love-stricken ghost takes his chance. He disguises as Kisan to get to his beloved. When everyone in the house, including Lachchi, believes him as Kisan, he confesses the truth to her and asks her permission so as to take her husband’s place. Lachchi realises: for the first time in her life, she was asked for her choice. But the choosing between longing (for her husband) and love (from the ghost) is a very tough one. She tells him: “Jaane wale ko hi rok nahi payi, tho aane wale ko kaise rokungi?”

The ghost, behaving as Kisan, impresses everyone in the family and also everyone in the village with his loving nature. In a few years, as the twist of the tale goes, Kisan (Lachchi’s husband) returns home.

Between the lines:

A man submits himself completely rules laid down by his forefathers. His accounts are important to him than looking at his beautiful bride. His father’s suggestions and warnings are his foremost considerations; his wife’s desires are secondary. His money-earning prospects are his main essentials compared to spend some time with his wife.

A woman has no choice other than that chosen by either her elders or her husband. She cannot stop herself from dreaming: dreams of colourful bangles, dreams of new dresses, dreams of her husband and dreams of a sweet love. That, dreams come true, is just a hope. And where dreams can come true is a fictitious tale.

The tale creates an invincible character, a ghost that fills the void in the woman’s life: the void of love left by her man. This ghost is an epitome of all what a woman expects from a man.

A film by Amol Palekar:

In today’s world of commercial themes, larger-than-life protagonists and visually appealing climaxes, Paheli stands out to be special. The thought-provoking theme, down-to-earth protagonists and an intelligent climax makes this film a classic of its own kind.

Amol Palekar strikes the chord right from the moment go, with his sensibility. The delicate tones of the story, characters and the Rajasthani surroundings are handled with utmost clarity. There is no frame in the film which diverts from the theme. The songs, the star-actors, the situations are all akin to the premise of the story.

Sandhya Gokale’s script is awesome. The lighter moments as well as the heavier ones are well handled with apt dialogues. No where in the film, it does appear that things have been forced in, for commercial appeal. The screenplay is slow but that’s what a rural backdrop of the story demands. And this is what most cine-goers today won’t accept. Similar problem was faced even for Swades. But a person who understands the rural backdrop can never write or expect a quick screenplay.

Though the screenplay is slow, it is simple and taut. The romantic moments between the ghost and Lachchi are very well handled. The emotional moments are subdued and the humorous ones are clean. The graphics are very well handled without exaggeration. Especially the scene where Shah Rukh plays with the rose petals floating in the air is beautiful. Thanks to the good production values (Red Chillies Entertainment).

Keervani’s background score was melodious and apt. It is not a commercially appealing score, but its Rajasthani folk mood suits the story appropriately. The lyrics by Gulzar are wonderful esp. for ‘Minnat Karen’ and ‘Dheere Jalna’. The choreography by Farah Khan is subjective and entertaining.

Ravi K Chandran’s camera is successful in bringing visual appeal of the heat and colour of Rajasthan. The yellowish appeal of the sand and the orange-tinge of mid-day heat are well captured by the ace-cinematographer. A special mention needs to go for the Rajasthani sets created by Muneesh Sappal.

The Lead Characters:

The story focuses mostly on the character of Lachchi. The Paheli she solves at the beginning of her marriage makes the family and the villagers face a bigger Paheli further in future. Rani Mukherji was strikingly mesmerising. She is beautiful enough for a young village girl and alluring enough to mesmerise a sensitive ghost. And her acting is flawless. Her romantic moments with the ghost and her sentimental expressions are applaud able.

Playing an uninteresting husband and a romantic ghost with precision and grace and simultaneously making it appear simple is one of the best parts of this film. The character of the ghost is nothing special for super-star Shah Rukh Khan. He just has to be himself: charming, confident and lovable. And he does it with optimum ease. But it is the husband’s character that Shah Rukh has delivered exceptionally. The humour he inflicts in the initial reels and confusion he displays in the last reels are awesome. The scene where the villagers and his own family fail to recognize him leaves a sensitive audience gulping one’s own breath. His eyes are enough to convey every subtle nuance of the character. His spontaneity of expressions is brilliant. And this brilliance should be attributed to his obedience and complete submission to the director. He does not try to dominate using his star-power and just keeps himself where the director has placed him.

Juhi Chawla and Amitabh Bachchan in cameo roles enthral the audience. Suniel Shetty is fine. Anupam Kher and the rest of the supporting cast manage their roles well.

A Wonderful Climax:

At the end of the tale, the unreal character (ghost) gets into the real character (the man) and loves the woman everlastingly. Some logical and intelligent brains may question about why the ghost hasn’t entered the man until the climax. They are logically right. But my dear friends! Creative liberty defies many rules of logic.

And if you are searching for the answer to the question raised in the premise of this review, pardon my inability to convey to you the answer through this long review. For me, the Paheli is resolved!!!