Dec 13, 2003 01:23 PM
3152 Views
(Updated Dec 13, 2003 01:26 PM)
Tehzeeb is one of those movies where in you do sense some premise after sitting through some time but the moment you get involved, nothing really leads anywhere.
Its a story about a Mother and a Daughter's love-hate relationship. The Mother is a renowned singer who has many shades to her personality. Starting out as a hobby she ends up taking singing as her career when her family is in need of finances. In the mean while the fame she earns becomes her Passion and she forgets the cause, her Family. Her two daughters crave for her love while her husband, a failed businessman, burning with inferiority, resorts to alcohol and self destruction. Her elder daughter, Tehzeeb (kind of strange for a name, but sounds cool) blames her Mother for her Father's misery and her younger sister's unbalanced mental condition.
Tehzeeb gets married against her Mother's wishes and moves on with life. She limits her singing ability to just a hobby unlike her Mother. Tehzeeb brings her sister home from an asylum and decides to keep her there on wards. Tehzeeb's husband is the glue of the family who by his good nature and a loving heart keeps the family in tact. Years pass by and one fine morning Tehzeeb receives a call from her mother. Her mother wants to visit them and Tehzeeb is excited, nervous and greatly confused about her mother onboard. The proceedings deal with what happens here onwards and how Tehzeeb and her Mother confront each other's views trying to prove that the other person is wrong.
Shabana Azmi as Rukhsana Jamal is a natural. To say she fits the role perfectly is something not adequate. She is an amazingly believable Rukhsana.Sad to say, the same could not be said about Urmila Matondkar who plays Tehzeeb. Yeah, enough heard about people raving about her performances in Bhoot and Pinjar, released earlier this year but To be very honest, she tries hard but ends up with an insipid portrayal of Tehzeeb. The confrontations with her Mother (a passion play), which forms the crux of the movie, needed an actress who has her expressions in check and who is as natural as the person playing her Mother. Do I hear the name Tabu ? (or even Sushmita), who could have suited the role much better. Diya Mirza is ok with what she had to do.
Arjul Rampal as Salim brings grace to the movie with his spontaneity, cheerfulness and a balanced narration.His character provides the lighter moments much needed occasionally throughout the movie. He shares a good chemistry with all the women in the movie. His scenes with Shabana Azmi are the best. Daina Hayden is a disaster. The maid of the house and Rukhsana's secretary, Satish Kaushik are funny. Namrata Shirodkar is elegant.
Khalid Mohammed seems to have had an idea but didnt develop it enough either into a good script nor into an engaging screenplay. His directions is decent, though. The Climax is very disappointing, Mr. Khalid. I pass no comments about the Music as its from AR Rehmaan and yet sounds blunt - oxymoron, I guess!! Lyrics are outstanding. Cinematography is first rate. Dialogues are good but could have been more intense. The treatment is extremely savvy and so except for the metro audiences, there will hardly be any others.
Go rent it and watch out for Rukhsana Jamal and Salim. One will overwhelm you and the other will entertain you.
Some watchable scenes from the movie -
Shabana's character establishment
Arjun and Urmila's first meet
Arjun and Shabana's first encounter
Sahabana's sarcasm about Urmila's appearance, decisions and way of life
Urmila rebounding at Shabana when she is accused of being 'be-tehzeeb'
Arjun's 'Mmamma' scene with Shabana
Some totally unwatchable scenes form the movie -
Whenever Daina Hayden opens her mouth
Urmila's imitation of veteran actors/actresses
Urmila's unnecessary anxiety (with her neck nerves pulsating through the screen)
