Films set in a retro backdrop have become the new Bollywood
obsession. Each year, we see more and more films set in the 70s, most of which
turn out to be sadly insipid and highly stereotypical of the era. Yet, among
the bevy of films that have come out in this sub-genre, some have achieved near
classic status (The Dirty Picture, Gangs of Wasseypur to name a few). Why these
films succeed is because they succeed in getting the viewer out of the Retro
bubble and view the film as a whole. Right from the time the trailer of Barfi! came
out, the generally enthusiastic public opinion on the trailer was because of
the whole package that was encased in it, be it the soothing music, the
colourful visuals, the promise of great performances and the Chaplin like
antics of the lead actor. The retro era was very less talked about. So, we can
say that the retro bubble was popped right before the release. So, what we are
left with now, is the fear that this movie might turn out to be just another
love triangle with the 3 leads going great lengths in love, some by
sacrificing, some by sheer charm and some by being selfless. Added to this is
the factor of disability, autism and an unkind society. It must be confessed
that all these assumptions turned out to be true, but in the most positive
light. These seeming blemishes turn out to be the very fine silken threads of a
skilled weaver working in an old fashioned loom. The end result is an
intricately crafted piece of moviemaking. The movie turns out to be as cute as
the Murphy Baby.
Plot:
Barfi! is the tale of 3 phases in the leading cast’s lives
and their tryst with love in each phase. Phase 1, set in the year 1972 sees the
whirlwind romance between Shruti (Ileana D'Cruz) and Murphy alias Barfi(Ranbir
Kapoor). Shruti has been recently engaged and has come to Darjeeling,
presumably on a holiday. Barfi, is a mischievous and charming man who is deaf
and dumb. They both fall in love with each other and want to get married. But,
Shruti sticks to her engagement because of parental pressure and fear of social
stigma. Meanwhile Jhilmil Chatterjee (Priyanka Chopra), an autistic girl, is
torn away from her home for gifted people and is taken to her ailing
grandfather. The second phase is set in 1978, when, due to a twist of strange
fate, the paths of all three reach a common point. Old fires are ignited. Barfi
is being chased around the town by the police. Jhilmil is with him. The third
phase is in the present days, In which an ailing Barfi is visited by the two
ladies of his life. The story is unfolded in a series of flashbacks and flash forwards
in a non linear fashion.
Story, Screenplay and Direction:
To get snappy, Barfi! is an imperfect film about three
imperfect people. Negative as the description may seem, it is not critical of
the content. Imperfections act like adornments to this movie. The writer, director
Anurag Basu, who is known for his dramas on betrayals in love, gives us a light
hearted romcom. The movie starts off with a small opening song by Swanand
Kirkire which goes like-“Picture ho gaya hai shuru”. A movie in which the
protagonists have disabilities in talking and hearing, is almost always,
predominantly silent. The same thing applies to Barfi!. There is dialogue only
for about 40% of the movie’s run time. The writer has drafted a story which has
oft been seen and heard. It is the screenplay that makes the core of a film
like this. The writer has scripted a screenplay that jumps eras in a style akin
to Woody Allen’s Annie Hall. The screenplay scores high as far as the
depictions of disability, the emoting of the actors and the story are
concerned. Every character is well defined and meshes together as a seamless
whole with near effortless ease. Added to all this, is the Chaplin factor. The
writer has cleverly borrowed from various films of Sir Charlie Chaplin and The
Marx Brothers to create a smooth flow of serious, comedic and touching
sequences. The director has to create appealing visuals in which the actors can
ably express themselves to the viewer. Another notable achievement is that the
director successfully recreates the era of the 70s, yet uses it as the perfect
device to drive his narrative to it’s fitting conclusion. One is not hung up in
the details of the era, but starts thinking like a resident of that era. The usage of various motifs like tramways, the
Murphy Radio(and Baby) and of course the inimitable Chaplin’s Tramp act blends
seamlessly into the plot. Many of the comic acts have been unabashedly borrowed
from old Hollywood classics of the likes of Sir Charlie Chaplin, Marx Brothers
and Donald O Connor, which have been put to perfect use by the director. Added
to this is the “Pure heart of gold” approach employed by the director. But the
film is not without flaws. The narrative moves smoothly, yet glacially in
spurts. The screenplay has no unnecessary plot elements, yet the existing
elements seem to have been used at a little more stretched manner than required(Eg:
repeat flashbacks, continuous time skipping). Grave matters like death,
kidnapping and crime have been handled in too light a manner. These minor
abrasions are overcome by the pure sense of delight and satisfaction that the
viewer is left with. The director gives a few laughs and many smiles to the viewer
without going with the typical weep and lump in the throat approach. It is
Anurag Basu’s best piece yet. He has successfully managed to craft a movie that
offers pure delight and nothing else.
The actors of a film like this are its soul. Acting is the
life of this film due to large reliance on visuals and body language. Here, the
movie scores an even 100. Ranbir Kapoor takes a leaf out of his grandfather’s
books and does the Chaplin act with effortless ease. His comic acts are
perfectly delightful. His performance as a deaf-dumb person is the best he has
given in his career yet. His actions have indeed spoken louder than words. Watch
out for his old man act(a la the one in Tata Docomo ads).His tour-de-force
should make him a tough contender at various awards. Priyanka Chopra sheds her
diva image and turns in a performance akin to Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man. Her
portrayal of an autistic girl is probably her best and most understated
performance yet. Her character is etched in a fully believable manner due to her great act. Ileana D’Cruz puts in a great supporting act
in her Bollywood debut. She looks ravishing sporting 70s style clothes and
hairstyles. Her work in this film is utterly respectable. Saurabh Shukla and Ashish Vidhyarthi are great in their brief roles. The whole
acting ensemble has to be commended immensely.
Technical work:
The technical department is sound in most parts except music
and cinematography. These two departments are outright brilliant. Pritam Da’s
music is the best he has given till date. His soothing compositions which draw
heavily from the 60s and the 70s serve not just as great songs, but also go
well with the flow of the narrative. Ravi Varman’s camerawork is stupendous. He
has created visuals that in addition to appealing to the viewer, also serve to
take the plot forging ahead. In a movie where actors have no words, the
camerawork serves as the actors’ voice. Ravi Varman’s camera has given the
actors not only their voice, but it has also given the viewers, their
understanding of the movie. The art direction is adequate. The costumes
belonging to the 70s are well designed and tastefully chosen.
In short, Barfi! is a film that is as sweet as its name. It
is an old fashioned story told in a charming, Woody Allen type narrative, which
tugs at your heartstrings and leaves you with a 100 smiles by the time the
movie comes to an end. Yes, there are pitfalls from a critical point of view,
but as a viewer in the general audience, it is about the most delightful and
pure movie experience that you can get in Bollywood. Watch this movie for a
sumptuous dose of sweet romance and unabashed old fashioned comic relief. It
will be a feast for the romantic in you. This is the best in the careers of
Anurag Basu, Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra. Don’t miss it, for films like
this are very rare in Bollywood. A quietly Pure heartwarming
delight.
Rating: 3.5 on 5