Review: Barfi! - As sweet as it gets.

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.

Performances:

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