Touched by fire ..... Review on Leela

NOTHING TOUCHED BY FIRE, REMAINS THE SAME!!!

That’s how LEELA opens. It’s the new movie that’s running in the theatres, Dimple Kapadia plays the title role.

It’s a very woman’s film. The theatres are packed with women. (I guess this’ll definitely make the men check out the show timings) No, but seriously, a whole lot of women can identify themselves with this movie, or a character in it.

It’s a movie about Indians living in the US (no, this is not a derivative of American Desi) and then an Indian going to the US. And feeling so comfortable and yet not at ease.

It’s about a woman, Leela, who leaves her country, her husband and goes to the US as an Temporary Special Subject Faculty. The movie talks about the strengths and the weaknesses of her relationships. In the US and with her husband back in India. It talks about her virtues towards the integrity of her marriage and at the same time her desires and her passions. It deals with her priorities and then again, the not so important things in her life.

The movie is about an 18-year-old Indian boy, Krishna, living in the US who is the outcome of a bad marriage. Father living with another woman and after years of believing mother is perfect, finding her in bed with another man. It’s about him falling in love with his teacher. About his journey: from being an immature college kid to becoming a man suddenly shouldering responsibilities. Its about growing up, not just physically but also in the mind.

The story is about his mother, Chaitali, who in this man’s world, wants to carve a niche and live by her own rules. It’s about her love for her son, to whom she is too hypocritic to explain her own needs. It’s about her failed relationship with her husband.

It’s also about Nishaad, Leela’s husband, a sought after poet in India whose wife is his inspiration, his muse. It’s speaks about the openness of their strange relationship. The intricacies of their marriage.

It’s all these characters that make this movie what it is, watchable!

We see Dimple Kapadia playing the lead to the tee. Her character has attitude, elegance and it touches you deep. And her performance is almost touching. Deepti Naval in the westernised appearance is different and plays her role well. Her husband played by Gulshan Grover shows him in a different role, which is refreshing. Vinod Khanna plays Nishaad very well but looks old just as the role desires. And then Krishna, played by young Amol Mhatre who through the movie plays his transition of growing up impressively.

Jagjit Singh and Gulzar once again gain full points for their excellent compositions.

Go see the movie, there’s fire in it!