This Bela Bhansali Sehgal film
which claimed to be really different, as attested by the promos, could not be
different from the hackneyed and distasteful Bollywood take on the Parsi
community. Shirin and Farad might be interesting in certain ways, but the other
members of the Parsi community are not. Rather, the film hyperbolically
projects the community as eccentric, getting at each other’s throats at the
slightest opportunity. In Bombay cinema, Parsi characters have barely risen
above being caricatures: an English-speaking white-skinned sophisticated upper
class people full of idiosyncrasies. Shirin
Farad Ki To Nikal Padi accentuates this image manifold, creating bizarre
farce at the expense of making clowns of the Parsi people. Most scenes banking more
heavily on gross physical action, than wit, could barely extract a smile, let
alone evoking laughter. In a mayhem at a society meeting, a certain old man
attacks Farad with his stick: Circus
dekhne aaye ho kya? Ironically, the scenes have a same effect on the
audience of the film. Had the script been written by someone other than Sanjay
Leela Bhansali, the reproach could have been less rasping. It’s depressing that
Bhansali too resorted to bawdy humour to achieve what he thought was comedic.
I
was half-expecting Bhansali to at least mention if not muse on the alarming
rapidity with which the Parsi community is dwindling in numbers. The
interdiction on inter-community marriage has to a great extent been responsible
to the near extinction of the community, otherwise highly cultured and classy. Single
Parsi men and women are quite common too. Terribly concerned about the rapid
depletion of the community, the Parsis are at times over-protective of their
culture and traditions, as underscored by the magazine Parsiana, the news-daily Jam-e-Jamshed,
and also websites promoting the Zoroastrian religion, myths, legends, rituals
and history. Shirin Farad Ki To Nikal
Padi scarcely focuses on this or rather makes fun of this in general. In
fact, the film laughs off the issue in that one disparaging dialogue given to
the matchmaker who claims that a ‘normal’ Parsi boy is, nowadays, a rarity.
The
film which had the potentiality of becoming a joy-ride loses its edge much too
early. An overweight mother (Daisy Irani) heavily weighing down on her 45 year
old son who is still unhitched, a frail but jovial grandmother (Shammi), and of
course, the meek, obedient, dutiful, overgrown baby of a son (Boman Irani) who
works at a lingerie store sets the right kind of note. Exasperated with finding
a proper match, Farhad becomes the butt of laughter at family gatherings. A
particularly catty aunt even expresses suspicion about his sexuality. Enter the
boisterous Shirin Fuggawala(Farah Khan), the secretary of the Parsi Trust.
Cupid charges his arrow, and Farhad and Shirin fall in love. In fact, they both
seem much-too-ready to fall for each other. But alas! When all seem hunky-dory,
an unfortunate tank interferes to separate the lovers. But the problem is the
hinge of the tank on which the plot turns could not hold water enough to
sustain the fun. The rest of the film becomes extremely predictable, but,
thankfully, it’s not unbearably taxing to sit through the dénouement.
The
optimism of the film might be encouraging for all those who are still in search
of love, although they are ‘conventionally’ past the age. However, it’s not
original. I was being constantly reminded of Khatta Meetha, where two old people marry, after having lost their
respective spouses. Whereas Khatta Meetha
was excessively delightful, Shirin and Farhad could not really cook up that
sweet-and-sour taste. It’s much too bland for a comedy, despite a delectable
buffet of traditional Parsi cuisine spread across several frames of the
film.
The film even makes an attempt to
situate the 40+ lovebirds in the Bollywood tradition of youthful romance: in self-mocking
reverie, Farhad imagines himself gyrating with Shirin in sequences reminiscent
of iconic songs of blockbuster candy-floss love stories such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Hum Apke Hain Koun…! and Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge. The fun
is majorly lost because of the awful song, and equally awful choreography. Yes!
Farah Khan, the star choreographer, disappoints big time. Boman’s moves are far
more agile and confident than hers.
Boman Irani with crooked
shoulders, a pot belly and a particular kind of walk makes the 45 year old
Farhad believable. The very opening scene where he fondly eggs on a troop of
young cyclists coming out of Cusrow Baug establishes the character. Farah Khan
also does justice to the role, given that Shirin Fuggawala is quite like her.
But, Daisy Irani draws the real laugh, using her obesity to comic effects.
One question, however, keeps on nagging me! Is
Bollywood seriously running short of music directors? Then, why the obnoxious
Jeet Ganguly? And, wasn’t he briefed about the story? Didn’t he know that the
songs would be lip-synced by 40-somethings? The playback singing is completely
out of tune with the voices and mannerisms of the actors on whom the songs are
picturized. Has Bhansali also lost his ear for music? O my god! Am scared! Can
one Sawaariya do so much damage?
Image Courtesy: frontierindia.org
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