dhobi ghat : a refreshed perspective!

I am filled with mixed feelings after watching debutant film maker Kiran Rao's film 'Dhobi Ghat'. This slow paced movie scores high on the sensibility but falls flat on emotional intensity. It is a quiet personal film which refuses to unfold itself easily. Yet, the film has a refreshed perspective.

The plot and the characters :

Munna, an immigrant from Bihar, works part-time as dhobi and part-time as a rat killer. Like many who land in Mumbai with dreams of cinema and stardom, he too is nurturing a dream to be an actor.

Shai, an investment banker from New York is in the city to catch up with her passion for photography, bumps into Arun in a painting exhibition. They share a night together but part on some uncomfortable notes, the next morning.

Arun is a reclusive painter, shifts into a new rental place, finds a set of video tapes left there by the previous tenant, Yasmin.

Yasmin, a recently married girl from Uttar Pradesh, is curious about her new found city, Mumbai. She records herself and the city around in a handy cam.

Munna happens to meet Shai and something like friendship begins between them. Shai treats Munna in a very friendly way, but she is baffled by the treatment he gets from others around. Munna starts a liking for Shai while she is intrigued by Arun and his persona. 

Meanwhile upon finding the video tapes, Arun watches Yasmin's life unfolding in front of him. Drawn into her enigmatic presence, Arun starts a new painting.

These four people from different backgrounds run into each other's lives and nothing remains the same thereafter. They are on their journey to catch the mirage of dreams. But their hopes and desires look distant and impossible. Binding them together is a city of dreams and desires, as they journey through love and loss, longing and loneliness.

Shot on real locations in sync sound and in multiple formats like mini DV and 16 mm, 'Dhobi Ghat' is one of the rare 'bollywood' films which categorically fits into 'Indie' films, may as well appeal to an international audience.

What I liked is the kind of realistic approach taken to portray the bustling city, Mumbai; it makes one stop, mellow down and take a look at things otherwise overlooked at. Shai's black and white photographic images, Yasmin's naive video recordings and Arun's paintings create a montage like pattern of the city with a touch of melancholy.

Story telling is multi-linear in style, quite interesting to explore on screen. However, the design of time and space is not managed well. The film fails to look beyond the surface. It takes an outsider's point of view. The temperament of the film feels more urbane and polished.

What seems missing is the in-depth characterization of the main four actors. Their personalities are not explored enough. This may be partly due to the pace and chosen length of the movie (95 minutes). By the time the actors settle down in their respective parts, the movie ends.

The actors :

Kriti Malhotra as Yasmin gives a naive performance. We never see her other than the video diaries. Kriti brings subtle nuances into the character. Her soliloquies appear instinctive and raw.

Pratiek is his mother, Smitha Patil written all over him in terms of looks and smiles. He proves to be a bundle of talent waiting to be explored. As Munna, his act was fresh and fine.

Monica Dogra as Shai was natural, but her role needed some supportive traits.

Aamir Khan plays a tough act as Arun. He tries hard to get the techniques right. It becomes difficult to read his emotions at times; moody, reclusive, introvert, rude or simply indifferent.

Dainsh Hussain as Munna's friend, Kittu Gidwani as Arun's agent and a host of other actors help the story take to shape.

The music, the camera and the director :

A very interesting combination; Gustavo Santaolalla's soul soothing music and Mumbai's noisy sounds. Background music is perfectly in sync with the mood of the film. It is not too loud; it elevates and flows in harmony with the scenes and the characters.

Santaolalla blends the classical sounds of veena and bansuri along with Charango, a South American string instrument he distinctively uses. Gustavo Santaolalla, is known for his music from Brokeback Mountain, Babel and Motorcycle Diaries.

Trying to get to the underbelly of the city, cinematographer Tushar Kanti Ray does not shift base from melancholy and solitude, gives a somber tone to the film. 

Kiran Rao is promising as a first time director. Her efforts are appreciated but, she needs to refine her direction skills. 'Dhobi Ghat' isn't the best in its genre. Still it is a different kind of cinema to come out of a mainstream production house.

Official website : http://www.dhobighatfilm.com/

Listen to the music of Gustavo Santaolalla