Movie Review: Guzaarish is an unusual film in many respects. Firstly,
because it follows a film craft that is akin to pure art. Film maker, Sanjay
Leela Bhansali and his cinematographer (Sudeep Chatterjee) have created
a collage of riveting paintings on screen, where both the interiors of a
crumbling mansion and the outsides of an incandescent Goa landscape
literally transport you to an art gallery. The exquisite detailing of Aishwarya's
daily chores as she brushes her patient's teeth, shampoos his hair, scratches his
nose, cleans his bed sores or simply draws the blinds to keep the sunlight out
is mesmerising to watch, even as their rare outdoor soirees blind you with
their exuberance. Catch Hrithik and Aishwarya enjoying a drive down the
uninhibited Goan countryside and you can actually feel the breeze rustle
through your hair....
because it follows a film craft that is akin to pure art. Film maker, Sanjay
Leela Bhansali and his cinematographer (Sudeep Chatterjee) have created
a collage of riveting paintings on screen, where both the interiors of a
crumbling mansion and the outsides of an incandescent Goa landscape
literally transport you to an art gallery. The exquisite detailing of Aishwarya's
daily chores as she brushes her patient's teeth, shampoos his hair, scratches his
nose, cleans his bed sores or simply draws the blinds to keep the sunlight out
is mesmerising to watch, even as their rare outdoor soirees blind you with
their exuberance. Catch Hrithik and Aishwarya enjoying a drive down the
uninhibited Goan countryside and you can actually feel the breeze rustle
through your hair....
But more unusual is the spirit of the film which supposedly articulates a plea
for death but ends up serenading life and love with tenderness and restraint.
Ethan may be plagued by his immobility and languishing body, but his eyes
dance like a dervish. Despite his desire to die with dignity, there is a liveliness
that surrounds him as he interacts with the few people around him: his student,
the wanabe magician Omar (Aditya Roy Kapur), his lawyer friend, Devyani
(Shernaz Patel), his die hard doctor (Suhel Seth), his mother (Nafisa Ali) and
most importantly, his nurse, Sophie (Aishwarya Rai). Even the few flashbacks
that the film features showcase him as an ardent lover and an adorable kid,
who performs his first magic trick before his mother. Yes, death does hang
around like a shroud, but life bristles and bursts through every frame of Guzaarish.
for death but ends up serenading life and love with tenderness and restraint.
Ethan may be plagued by his immobility and languishing body, but his eyes
dance like a dervish. Despite his desire to die with dignity, there is a liveliness
that surrounds him as he interacts with the few people around him: his student,
the wanabe magician Omar (Aditya Roy Kapur), his lawyer friend, Devyani
(Shernaz Patel), his die hard doctor (Suhel Seth), his mother (Nafisa Ali) and
most importantly, his nurse, Sophie (Aishwarya Rai). Even the few flashbacks
that the film features showcase him as an ardent lover and an adorable kid,
who performs his first magic trick before his mother. Yes, death does hang
around like a shroud, but life bristles and bursts through every frame of Guzaarish.
Then again, the film is one of the most unusual love stories of recent times. The
relationship between Ethan and Sophie is much more than a patient-nurse bond
and brims over with a passion that threatens to burst any moment. So what if
almost everything is left unsaid between the two. The eyes -- and expressions --
say it all. Kudos to Hrithik and Aishwarya to create some of the most romantic
moments on screen without resorting to cliche and stereotype.
relationship between Ethan and Sophie is much more than a patient-nurse bond
and brims over with a passion that threatens to burst any moment. So what if
almost everything is left unsaid between the two. The eyes -- and expressions --
say it all. Kudos to Hrithik and Aishwarya to create some of the most romantic
moments on screen without resorting to cliche and stereotype.
The performances are uniformly good, with the ensemble cast, specially Shernaz
Patel, providing great support to the lead actors. But in the end, it is Hrithik
Roshan and Aishwarya Rai who leave an indelible impression with their interpretation
of two extremely difficult and unconventional characters who do not have the usual
props to express grief, joy, pain and passion. If Hrithik uses his eyes as his be-all and
end-all, then Aishwarya is a stunning picture of fire and grace, walking away with
certain scenes by her sheer vitality. Catch her outburst in the courtroom and her
impromptu jig in the restaurant to understand how underutilised she has been in
run-of-the-mill cinema. Equally noteworthy is the music score where Sanjay Leela
Bhansali debuts as a music director.
Patel, providing great support to the lead actors. But in the end, it is Hrithik
Roshan and Aishwarya Rai who leave an indelible impression with their interpretation
of two extremely difficult and unconventional characters who do not have the usual
props to express grief, joy, pain and passion. If Hrithik uses his eyes as his be-all and
end-all, then Aishwarya is a stunning picture of fire and grace, walking away with
certain scenes by her sheer vitality. Catch her outburst in the courtroom and her
impromptu jig in the restaurant to understand how underutilised she has been in
run-of-the-mill cinema. Equally noteworthy is the music score where Sanjay Leela
Bhansali debuts as a music director.
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