Aaja Nachle? Na Ja! Bach Le!
Aaja Nachle is the kind of film that makes you shudder to think about a Hema Malini comeback. Imagine the Dream Girl in Iyengar-meets-International Airport twang, fat-ass figure-hugging denim, sleeveless blouses pouring out Mommy-cleavage… okie, let’s stop right there.
The kind of film that makes you thank God and Dr. Nene that Madhuri didn’t wait a couple of more years to wear her dancing shoes again.
It’s the kind of film where change-of-heart happens as often as change of underwear should. Or maybe musical as a genre gave Jaideep Sahni, an otherwise reliable screenwriter, the licence to keep changing tunes.
There are over half a dozen instances:
Time taken for politician to undergo change of heart after having his boys destroy the theatre: The time it takes to order lassi.
Time taken for jilted lover nursing a grudge to undergo change of heart after tearing her poster down: One night’s sleep.
Time taken for casting Miss Runny Nose as Laila who can’t dance to save her life or the worn-down structure’s: One sobbing piece of dialogue.
Time taken for half the town to turn receptive towards the idea of reviving theatre: A song.
Time taken for best friend to turn against Dia: Ummm! None
Time taken for her to repent: Ding! None.
Time taken for best friend’s evil scheming husband to undergo change of heart after watching the very show he didn’t want: Duh! None.
Let’s not even get started about time taken for change of art. Not even drop of a curtain, because there is none.
The ruins of a community centre turn to an amphitheatre that can host even Bombay Dreams, the kind that can conjure up an array of fountains, a revolving stage and suspended swings that make you believe you are watching David Copperfield and not a desi-Dixitised version of Honey.
What is it with Yash Raj Films really?
If you have so much money, why not subsidise ticket prices for improvisation shows like these.
After all, why should we pay when Aaja Nachle is the kind of fare we are used to in Nach Baliye and Jodi No.1, with an excuse of a plot, the plot being: What happens when Madhuri makes people dance?
What’s extremely tragic is that Aaja Nachle ended up being just about a dance show (which no doubt is spectacular, in fact too spectacular for our own discomfort) when it promised much more in terms of sub-plot and sub-text with its motley crew of characters and context of art in a world-run by commerce.
But that seems to be the price you have to pay for making a film centred around your superstar. Would the audience like it if the diva-like Goddess found true love in the form of a chai-wala who looks like Ranvir Shorey?
Madhuri just has to play herself and bank on her natural charm while Ranvir, Vinay, Konkana, Kunal, Irrfan and Akshaye Khanna come up with performances you will remember for a long time to come. The kind that will give make your heart glow.
Too bad it just remained The Vaibhavi Merchant Show.
Especially in the Hindi fillum context jahaan naach-gaana raita hota hai, puri biryani nahin.
The kind of film that makes you thank God and Dr. Nene that Madhuri didn’t wait a couple of more years to wear her dancing shoes again.
It’s the kind of film where change-of-heart happens as often as change of underwear should. Or maybe musical as a genre gave Jaideep Sahni, an otherwise reliable screenwriter, the licence to keep changing tunes.
There are over half a dozen instances:
Time taken for politician to undergo change of heart after having his boys destroy the theatre: The time it takes to order lassi.
Time taken for jilted lover nursing a grudge to undergo change of heart after tearing her poster down: One night’s sleep.
Time taken for casting Miss Runny Nose as Laila who can’t dance to save her life or the worn-down structure’s: One sobbing piece of dialogue.
Time taken for half the town to turn receptive towards the idea of reviving theatre: A song.
Time taken for best friend to turn against Dia: Ummm! None
Time taken for her to repent: Ding! None.
Time taken for best friend’s evil scheming husband to undergo change of heart after watching the very show he didn’t want: Duh! None.
Let’s not even get started about time taken for change of art. Not even drop of a curtain, because there is none.
The ruins of a community centre turn to an amphitheatre that can host even Bombay Dreams, the kind that can conjure up an array of fountains, a revolving stage and suspended swings that make you believe you are watching David Copperfield and not a desi-Dixitised version of Honey.
What is it with Yash Raj Films really?
If you have so much money, why not subsidise ticket prices for improvisation shows like these.
After all, why should we pay when Aaja Nachle is the kind of fare we are used to in Nach Baliye and Jodi No.1, with an excuse of a plot, the plot being: What happens when Madhuri makes people dance?
What’s extremely tragic is that Aaja Nachle ended up being just about a dance show (which no doubt is spectacular, in fact too spectacular for our own discomfort) when it promised much more in terms of sub-plot and sub-text with its motley crew of characters and context of art in a world-run by commerce.
But that seems to be the price you have to pay for making a film centred around your superstar. Would the audience like it if the diva-like Goddess found true love in the form of a chai-wala who looks like Ranvir Shorey?
Madhuri just has to play herself and bank on her natural charm while Ranvir, Vinay, Konkana, Kunal, Irrfan and Akshaye Khanna come up with performances you will remember for a long time to come. The kind that will give make your heart glow.
Too bad it just remained The Vaibhavi Merchant Show.
Especially in the Hindi fillum context jahaan naach-gaana raita hota hai, puri biryani nahin.
posted by Suderman at
9:59 AM
7 Comments:
Why are reviews so confusing? We either read the sudhish kamath, raja sen kind of reviews or the the others that are more restrained. Are you people too critical or are the other reviewers very biased towards Madhuri Dixit. Check out the review on Ibnlive.com. Hope you dont end up saying they're paid to write such stuff. Not that your reviewing is bad or negative, its just that it gets confusing when one reads very contrasting reviews in three different websites all at once. A movie can be good or bad. How can it bring about such contrasting reactions?
Anon, if I can answer your question, I'd say it's very natural to have contrasting reviews. A review, I think, is an individual's opinion on a movie. It can differ drastically from person to person. For instance, the movie "Black" got rave reviews from most of the critics, but still I can show you some people who simply tore the movie apart. As they say, to each his own.
PS: I'm not even bothered to comment on your review of Aaja Nachle. Simply because, it's yet another Yashraj royal trash. :)
@ anon
Perspectives!!!
@ Sudhish
Tv channels say Madhuri looks younger n fitter. Fitter - oh yea. Younger - no ways. She lost that glow which made her so special. I have never seen her so pale. Mebbe crash diets really take a toll on ye!!!
I don't know if I'm qualified to leave a comment, given my extreme bias towards the actress. But as is apparent, I'm going to do so anyway. I loved the way the review was written, I wish I could agree with it, but I can't relate to a single line of criticism about the dazzle queen. I guess I shouldn't be reading too many reviews of the film, but then I'd have missed out on an extremely entertaining one as yours.
Your reviews should be on celluloid, they conjure up such vivid imagery!
@krishnan & pointblank:
I guess i overreacted considering im a die hard Madhuri fan. Each to his own is so true. I wouldnt have bothered commenting and might have just enjoyed reading the blog, had it been some other movie review, but since this is Madhuri's I overreacted. the lady should feel flattered that even after all these years, people vouch for her and dont care about the film. there have been so many of Madhuri's films in the past which were compkete trash. I couldnt sit through Koyla or Anjaam, but then i loved her. Hmmmm..guess i'll watch Aaja nachle only for her, even if its crap :D
http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2007/dec/06bolly.htm
at first i also aaja nachle with a baised eyes, that maduri is now 40+ american aunty and that stupid and loud rajeev masand always gives prefrentials reviews to star movies (like that of shahrukh and now madhuri)because he has them over his sets and probably gets money or his channel cnn-ibn(the most baise channel on earth) gets money for this inspite of all this in my mind i enjoyed the film thorughly for simple theme and also madhuri's acting and her relationship with her daughther or the way she deals with peoples taunts or the way madhuri steps aside for other to play thier role in the movie the best i liked about the movie was its last scene the dance drama play of liala majnu it was a unique attempt for film as no such film was been made that remember till date where dance drama is its ending all credits to yash raj films they are the best
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