What If? (2006) User Reviews

Above average

[nomanali77 · 7/10 · 23 July 2006]

The general storyline and the climax are quite interesting. Having known nothing about the film, I was a bit suspicious when they tell us the year 2001 in the first frame of the film.. and it all came to me when Irrfan Khan sat in the office with the calendar behind him. I suddenly understood everything.

The Good: Great performances by all the actors. I wasn't disappointed with anyone's performance. Good twist in the end, too.

The Bad: Screenplay. Even though the movie was short, I felt that quite a few frames were wasted and did not need to be there. We didn't need the romantic angle Irrfan's character had with the older woman. She was useless to the script. Paresh Rawal's character and Rathna Pathak's charter did not need the love angle either. It didn't add anything.

Fortunately, the film didn't have any ugly points. You can depend on a seasoned film personality like Naseeruddin Shah to direct a film, which, even as a débutant will be above the regular fare you watch in Bollywood. For the most part, you can appreciate the film and I will go on and say it is a good film, even with it's flaws. I guess it is a learning experience for the director, and I can just see his future ventures being much much better.

An excellent movie with an unexpectedly lousy ending

[drvikram77 · 6/10 · 23 July 2006]

This is a movie for movie watchers who are tired of the routine hero-heroine story. 'Naseeruddin Shah's debut as a director.' I guess that's what compelled me to go watch this movie. The concept of having 4 stories woven into one is nice. He has enthusiastically woven different strands together and what you are left with is a plethora of emotions.....but sadly the end gulps all those experiences. The star cast is well thought of....but they don't get enough of screen space to prove their bit, other than Konkana Sen Sharma and Jimmy Shergill. This is probably because there are too many of them. You always want to leave the movie hall happy, but you end up leaving grim and sullen because a sensitive topic is used for the thrill.....

The Best Movie to Come out of Bollywood for a Long, Long Time

[zephsteele · 9/10 · 15 September 2006]

The likes of Naseeruddin Shah is a rarity in Bollywood. He is one of the very few actors in Indian cinema who has succeeded in bridging the lamentable divide that exists between 'sensible'(read realistic) and 'glamour'(songs and dances and fight sequences by the dozen peppered with rain dances/bathing beauties played out by the heroine/vamp in skimpy costumes out to titillate the viewers while walking the thin red line between the 'acceptable' and 'obscene', based on the notoriously arbitrary censorship laws in India) cinema during the 80s and early 90s. The 'parallel cinema' during the late '70s and early '80s produced several noteworthy films like 'Mirch Masala','Jaane Bhi Do Yaro', 'Masoom', 'Waisa Bhi Hota Hain', all of which were commercial successes. Although he then went on to act in movies like Tridev, which would undoubtedly fall into the 'glamour'/'mainstream' cinema, he is still considered to be one of the best actors ever in Indian cinema.

The long winding title ' Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota'( which can be translated as "What if it had happened thus?') comes with a mercifully shortened title "What if..?' in the subtitles accompanying the movie. The story is about 4 complete strangers bound by one fateful day in their lives.

The Bride There is the newly wed couple of Tilottama Das and Hemant Punj (played by Konkona Sen Sharma and Jimmy Sheirgill) who have just tied the note after an 'internet' courtship and marriage. Hemant who works in the U.S. is about to travel back to his work, the day after his wedding reception. Tilottama would stay back with her in-laws -Papaji(played by Ravi Baswani) and Mom and a dysfunctional Sis-in-law undergoing a divorce, till her American visa gets ready. Caught between a sadistic mother-in-law and a schizophrenic sis-in-law, and the visa papers that never arrive and long distance calls from her husband that she is never able to attend, she decides get to the U.S. by whatever means it takes- be it lying to the officer at the visa section or keeping her motives hidden from her overbearing mum-in-law.

The Student Rahul Bhide(Ankur Khanna) is a brilliant but impoverished medical graduate who is caught between lack of finances and a sense of duty towards his ailing father on the one hand and the prospects that awaits him in the land of opportunities on the other. Aided by a twist of fate and financed by his friend Kay Modi(Ayesha Takia) he travels to the U.S. in search of his destiny.

The Lover The stock broker son (Irrfan Khan) of an underworld Don( Saroj Khan), gets involved in the murder of a corrupt police officer and is forced to leave to the U.S., where he is to meet with a prospective employer who would take him under his wings. He is torn between his love for the much older, but passionate lover Namrata( Suhasini Mulay) and his inability to reconcile with her infidelity on the other.

The Showman Rajubhai Patel ( Paresh Rawal) is a small time organizer of 'cultural shows' in the U.S. and it costs any aspiring dancer a small fortune to join his group. He is approached by his erstwhile love interest Tara Gandhi( Ratna Pathak Shah) and asked to take her daughter Payal(Shahana Goswami) to the U.S., away from an abusive father and poverty, paying him with the money that she received by mortgaging her home. Rajubhai for the first time in his life is fathering an innocent girl on her first trip abroad.

Four startlingly different lives, yet bound by fate to come together in one unexpected journey. The fate they encounter unfurls in the climax of the film.

Exceptionally well directed, the film has a well written screenplay by Uttam Gada and some excellent photography by Hemant Chaturvedi. The transition between the characters and their environs is well reflected in the photography, which I understand was achieved by using a different lens for each protagonist and the transition from the pastel shades of India to the vibrant colors of the U.S. is captivating. Some excellent editing by Hina Salyada and a sense of conciseness in the director( which is so very often sorely lacking in Indian Cinema) makes the film an enjoyable watch. Also noteworthy is the Visual Effects by Pankaj Khandpur who tops it off with some excellent shots for the climax.

All-in-all a welcome breath of fresh air in Hindi cinema which has now shown lots of promise with the advent of a new crop of directors and script writers who believe that cinema is not only about endless strings of song and dance woven around opulent weddings and display of wealth, which would be as out of place in middle class India as anywhere else in the world.

What if this movie could have been improved?

[Chrysanthepop · 3 March 2007]

An interesting movie indeed boasting of fine actors and a first-time director who is known as one of India's best actors. Though the idea of running four parallel stories adds further to the interest there's just something lacking to make this movie brilliant. Anyway, on the bright side, there are some wonderful performances by Konkona Sen Sharma (this woman is born to act) who shares great chemistry with Jimmy Shergill (not his best though but good enough), Suhasini Mulay (a surprise as she's cast in a totally different role), Irfan Khan (given that the character is pretty half-baked, he did well with what he got except in his last scene), Paresh Rawal (very likable), Ratna Pathak Shah (decent), Shabana Goswami (likeable for a newcomer) and Ankur Khanna (adequate). The rest range from strictly OK to bad e.g. Boman Irani who's very loud (though less annoying than his other films) and Ayesha Takia (doesn't have much scope). Cinematography is wonderful. Music is nicely put in the background without popping up as a song sequence out of nowhere. The movie starts on a very slow pace but it slowly grows on to the viewer. It could use some editing. For a first time director, I would say it's a decent job but from a veteran actor like Naseeruddin Shah, I'd expected better. The dialogues could do with some improvement too (i mean the dialog between the brother and sister about exploitation tool? who are you kidding?). Unlike masterpiece movies, this doesn't stay long in your mind after you've watched it (except for some performances). In fact if the movie is worth watching it's for all the scenes with Konkona, particularly from the moment on where she loses her ticket at the airport lingers in mind. On the whole even though it's a flawed movie, it's quite a decent watch.

Mr. Naseeruddin Shah, what is your excuse for making Yun Hota To Kya Hota?

[kathuria_nidhi · 1/10 · 22 July 2006]

In an interview, Dr. Amitabh Bachchan in all his modesty answered that he doesn't know direction and is happy being an actor. Mr. Naseeruddin Shah, the master of realistic acting and the God of theater after a long yearning to direct, finally had an opportunity to don the director's hat with this film. First question-why this film? What is so great about the uncooked, haywire script in the first place? Just like Nagesh Kuknoor's film 'Teen Diwarein,' which was based on parallel stories meeting the same fate in the end or bound by sheer coincidence, an attempt has been made in 'Yun Hota To Kya Hota' to converge four stories to a common fate. But unlike Kuknoor's stories, these stories are weak in narration and characters (except Konkona Sen Sharma) and fail to evoke any empathy or identification. There is no justification why Irrfan Khan is obsessed with a woman who is his mother's age. The idiosyncrasies are added to the characters for a superficial effect and don't really reveal any character strength or weakness or why a person is the way he or she is. Almost all characters seem unrealistic and dwell in suspended animation. What is the message the climax is trying to give out? Fails me! 'Yun Hota To Kya Hota?' Kaisa Hota to kya hota? Did you want us to fantasize about the whole film? What if all those people loved their Swades and gave up their dreams to go to US? Would things have been different? But really are their lives so great or so curiously dramatic to ponder and waste our time over? What if they all had missed their flights? What if those Indian passengers had turned heroes and averted the tragic fate? I really wish there was any, even the remotest conclusion or a resolution at all...The 9/11 incident in the climax is just used and abused and fails to even slightly wrench the muscles of the heart. The dialogues are very lame and imagine a brother even jokingly telling his sister "You want to see my exploitation tool?" The camera-work is shoddy, even the B grade movies that manage to shoot a song or two in New York do justice to exalt its glory unlike this film. A line-up of fine actors in obliging guest roles leave much to be desired like Boman Irani, Makrand, Tinu Anand or even Rajat Kapoor who recently gave a smashing performance in the very sleek Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Corporate'. Second question to Mr. Naseeruddin Shah- How could you make such a lousy film? With a lifetime of experience, soulfulness and passion which infused life into your many characters, one would have thought directing a film is something you could even do while you are sleeping! I don't have any other question to ask you, but I really hope you are surrounded by some honest friends who would have courage to tell you the truth when and if at all you decide to make a comeback as a director.

A different film

[roysid · 8/10 · 22 July 2006]

It's legendary Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah's first try at directing and he does a pretty good job with it.

This film is different from other Bollywood ones which would be hero-heroine, hero-villain story. Here the people seen are real people.

The film has four stories running simultaneously. The timing is Mumbai, September 2001.

A bride, Tillotamma Das(Konkona Sen Sharma) got married to a S/W Enginner Hemant(Jimmy Shergill) settled in USA after an internet romance. Unfortunately Hemant has to leave for USA and Tillotamma has to live with her in-laws. Her sister-in-law and mother-in-law are nuts and they make her crazy. Only her father-in-law is OK. She has to go to America somehow to join her husband.

A stockbroker, Salim (Irfan Khan) has got green card. He and his brother Javed will go to USA. But Salim is madly in love with Namrata, a much older woman. But Namrata basically uses him as one of her young lovers. Salim finds that he is cheated. He goes to America. He tries to forget her but can't.

Talented doctor Rahul has got an admission into US University. But he has his sick father to take care of in India. How will he manage his expenses. But he has a rich friend Khusboo(Ayesha Takia) who has more than soft corner for him. He is in dilemma. Will he go to US or not.

The fourth character is Rajabhai(Paresh Rawal). He takes money from people and arranges them to send to US as part of dancing troupe. One day his old fame Tara of 19 years comes up and asks him to send her daugther to US. The soft lover in hard businessman Rajabhai risens.

The paths of all four crosses from time to time and changes forever.

Sad excuse of a movie

[nitinmehra20 · 4/10 · 16 November 2006]

The movie could have been executed better even though a novel idea. The movie was a bit of a drag for me because as an Indian I already know the stark contrast between the kind of people who travel to the US. So it maybe an eye-opener for a foreigner but nothing new for me. The ending was the worst. They should have just probably ended with the WTC coming down. Konkana Sen traveling from Boston to LA???? Wow!!! its like 8 hrs by flight!!!! By bus it will be forever!!!! And she never bothers to contact her hubby for the days she was traveling??? WT????? Also direction wise it looked sloppy and un-professional as if I was watching it as part of an amateur film festival. Not expected out of a man of the stature of Mr. Shah.

Simply Superb!

[girishbh · 8/10 · 21 July 2006]

I had never expected the ending! Though I was just getting the 'hints' somewhere in between.

The acting by most of the guys is simply great. The movie is quite entertaining. I just felt that the movie would go on.

Though Nasiruddin has not acted, his wife & son have filled the gap!

I had never imagined that Suhasini Muley could play such a role.

Irrfan looks cool and portrays the slightly difficult role (for him it might have been a cakewalk!) effortlessly.

Paresh Rawal doesn't need much of writing because he delivers much more than what is expected of him.

The most beautiful aspect of the movie is that all the newcomers act very credibly. And they have added freshness to the movie.

Shergill is the likable best.

On the whole, quite satisfying!

Pure nonsense movie

[ytamhane · 1/10 · 9 October 2006]

A movie from Naseeruddin Shah was expected to be "THE BEST". I sat for watching something best, but I guess I expected too much. The movie seems to be pure nonsense. Hope, Naseer comes out with something better in the future. As someone has already pointed out, do you really expect a brother talking to sister about his "Exploitation tool"? Similarly, a sister talks to his mother about the brother being naked. This is not Indian movie. The title made me think, this might be a light comedy movie like "Jane be do yaaron". But, I must admit that it totally failed my expectations. The star cast is OK (expect Paresh Rawal, who is best in any role). I could not really see any value in showing Konkona Sen Sharma bathing and talking to Jimmy Shergill for so long. Jimmy Shergill seemed to be uncomfortable in his role. Overall, the movie is nonsense. Please do not waste your time in watching it.

nice movie..

[suhasnatyan · 9/10 · 27 August 2006]

Interesting film having four stories running parallel with lot of emotions and twist. Mumbai at September 2001, really nicely pictured. The stories are about:

A young doctor Rahul who has got an admission into a US University, but has some personal reasons (that u can see in movie) and is in dilemma. Besides this how will he manage his expenses is a question. But he has a rich friend Khusboo(Ayesha Takia) who has more than soft corner for him. Tillotamma Das(Konkona Sen Sharma) who is married (newly wed) to a software engineer Hemant(Jimmy Shergill) settled in USA after an internet romance. Nicely pictured scenes as Hemant has to leave for USA and Tillotamma has to be in India with her in-laws(with her mother in law, father in law and sister in law, who makes her crazy except her father-in-law. She wants to be with her husband anyhow, how she does that and reaches America. A stockbroker, Salim (Irfan Khan) who has got green card and who has a very nice brother Javed. But Salim has his own personal thing (attachment with Namrata a older woman). But she do not love him as much. When this is disclosed he find him in a strange situation and thinks like cheated. He also goes to America. He tries to forget her but can't and this scene is very nicely pictured when he is America, with title song. Fourth character is Paresh Rawal, playing role of Rajabhai who takes money from people to send to America as part of dancing troupe. He met his old love Tara who asks him to send her daughter to America. Anyhow he decide to do that though he was very practical in Business, and leaves for America

How and What happens is the basic concept of story and the title song "Yun Hota.." is very melodious(to me) and is nicely presented. The scene when Irfan is standing in tower and sees airplane is also good. The acting by all is very good, the newcomer who played the role of doctor has also given a very natural acting too. Well i recommend to see this movie

what the filmmaker want to say?

[manoj-ransing · 4/10 · 11 October 2006]

The movie is made up of different stories, and at the end the characters from each story are involved in the same incidence. Till that incidence, you wonder whats happening, why is it happening. There is no clue in the entire movie about what is going to happen at the end. And then at the end when you find out that the movie is actually based on one real incidence, your reaction is just WHAAATTTT? Are all these stories made just to show how people suffer in this? Its really sad even after having some good actors like Paresh Rawal, Irfan Khan, the movie failed to make an impact. You will not like to discuss it after you watch it.