Woh Lamhe ... (2006) User Reviews

Good story effectively told

[Peter_Young · 7/10 · 4 September 2009]

Just as the title offers, "Woh Lamhe" has many exciting moments to offer. I wouldn't say it's a great film but it should provide a very decent watch to its viewers. Supposedly based on Mahesh Bhatt's relationship with popular actress Parveen Babi, the film shows Babi in a rather negative light through Kangana Ranaut's schizophrenic young actress Sana Azim, and follows her relationship with a young filmmaker named Aditya who she falls in love with (that's supposed to be Mahesh Bhatt). A relationship starting off with a collaboration on a film is followed by a live-in relationship, where the young filmmaker is exposed to Sana's insanity. She is haunted by a woman who warns her that everyone wants to kill her. Quite expectedly, Aditya is presented as a kind-hearted and supportive man.

I don't know if this portrayal of Parveen Babi's life is correct, but it is certainly unpleasant for those who have known and liked Babi throughout the years. It is not the first time Bhatt wrote a film with a character based on Parveen. His 1982 masterwork "Arth" had a similar character named Kavita played by Smita Patil. While Patel's Kavita was a half-backed role in the film, here we get to see this character as the film's protagonist. But unlike Arth, this film was made a year after Babi's death, so one can never know if the characterisation and the story are completely correct, though we all know that it's just based on this relationship and is not a lifelike depiction of it. Whatever there, the film is very alluring and visually pleasing, although it gets to be a bit disturbing at some points.

The film belongs to Kangana Ranaut, who is astonishing as Sana. This is another role showcasing her talent in playing emotionally disturbed characters, and despite her very young age, she handles the rather complex character with great ease and looks beautiful and mature. Shiny Ahuja provides good support but at some scenes annoyingly overacts. The direction is quite good, and the film is enjoyable, interesting and has some fantastic tracks composed by Pritam. Every song has something nostalgically melancholic about it, which makes it memorable and ear-pleasing. Woh Lamhe is definitely worth watching, and not only once.

Fame, Is It Worth it? This Film Is Reality...

[shabzy_98 · 7/10 · 6 November 2006]

I've just finished watching this movie and honestly the film has surprised me its not the usual story that you see in Bollywood, Loosely based on the relationship of Mahesh Bhatt and the late Parveen Babi. The lead actors Kangana and Shiny portray the roles maturely and it makes u believe and see how full of two faced people the showbiz business is. Sana a popular actress in the film industry has everything until her manager Nikhil rapes her and abuses her when she declines his work orders etc she then sees him with another woman, enter Adi (Shiney Ahuja) a struggling director who at a party gets the attention of the actress by insulting her and her ego... Then time goes Nikhil gets jealous when Sana does Adi's film then love blossoms between the two but at first she disagrees to the movie but since her mother needs the money she agrees this annoys sanas manager nikhil. The actress then realises how she is being used and hurt and all this pain and anger makes u go mad and she gets schizophrenic starts seeing a girl named rani who taunts sana 24/7. Just near the ending sana accepts the fact that she is ill but doesn't face it so she commits suicide... This film is worth a watch but its not for the faint hearted. The soundtrack is impressive and it goes with the movie the track Kya Mujhe Pyar Hai is good.

Memorable moments

[Zentaurion · 7/10 · 9 April 2007]

This film deftly covers the subject of how one deals with personal ambitions and portrays a harrowing look into the condition of paranoid schizophrenia.

In both, it succeeds and is very watch-able. The script is wonderfully implemented though later on it slows unnecessarily at times. But it never deviates from the central characters. Kangana Ranaut's character has to deal with what her life is becoming, while Shiny Ahuja's character has tough choices to make about what he wants from his.

Ranaut gives a powerful performance, filling out every nuance and facet of her character. Shiny Ahuja brilliantly plays his character, emoting the choices he goes through. The supporting cast aren't memorable but do a good job.

The ending is a little heavy handed, but doesn't detract from the rich experience the story offers.

Good, not a happy, movie

[daniel-schut · 16 November 2007]

I just saw this one and still processing it, but here's a few comments anyhow.

I found Kangana's and the entire movie's portrayal of schizophrenia pretty well done. Someone above already said: if you've ever dealt with people closeby who have a serious mental illness, you will recognize a lot. Please do bear in mind, trying to portray the delusions of a schizophrenic is very difficult, because their delusions are, by their nature, tremendously unbelievable. Kangana succeeds because she is able to portray a schizophrenic AND a likable, sweet woman - and these are the two sides that Shiny Ahuja's character finds himself torn between.

I thought his character was a bit less well developed. His delivery was a bit slow sometimes, and his emoting could have been better. All in all, not bad, but not splendid either.

Someone upthread was reminded a lot of the movie "Gia". I do agree that it does bear some similarities to that movie - but this movie is no Gia-rip-off. It is based on the real-life story of Parveen Babi, a famous Bollywood-actress in the 70's (Zeenat Aman's main rival, so to say), who was also destroyed by her mental illness and the pressure of stardom. Saying it is a Gia-rip-off shows you just didn't do your research, and is an offense to these two excellent movies which only ebar a superficial resemblance to each other.

The connection with Parveen Babi's life and Mahesh Bhatt's role in it, makes this movie even more interesting. One can sense the love that Bhatt poured into making this, a very true type of love. But at the same time, one cannot help but wonder: is this tribute also a way for Bhatt t o redeem himself, cleanse himself from any mistakes he feels he might have made with the real life tragedy of Parveen? This background makes the movie a must-watch for Bollywood fanatics. For others, it is a perfect movie to watch at home with your significant other.

a different movie compared to regular Indian themes

[salmanraza47 · 7/10 · 14 October 2006]

The movie does a good job of showcasing the life of a show girl. It has a amazing sound track and a well chosen character-actor mapping. the pantie throwing scene and the rape scene are not very "Indian movie" type but the director has placed the scenes pretty well to portray the character of the characters. the movie keeps you involved through out except for the end where i feel the sudden shift in time had to be explained.... what happened to Sana (show girl)and her lover during the time gap!. it is also perhaps one of those rare Indian movies where the villain is not over dramatic... basically i could not come to a conclusion as to who is the villain. its a nice movie after all but better watch it with a serious mood.

Bhatt's final tribute to Parveen Babi

[silvan-desouza · 7/10 · 11 August 2014]

Mahesh Bhatt made 3 films on Parveen Babi,first being ARTH(1982) which was a great film,then PHIR TERI KAHAANI YAAD AAYI(1993) and finally WOH LAMHE. The film brought back Shiny Ahuja and Kangana after GANGSTER the same year. The film is a fictitious take on the love story of Bhatt and Babi directed by Mohit Suri. It starts off superbly though the panty scene could be avoided, yet otherwise the love story is smoothly narrated, the breakdown scenes are awesome, the second half does drag a bit but yet the scene when Kangana finds a bug in their room is awesome, The climax too is awesome but there are flaws like it's not explained what happened to Sana after running away? Also the end is different from real life but afterall we should watch it as a fiction.

Direction by Mohit Suri is awesome Music is superb,Chal Chale is the best song,Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai is awesome too, Tu jo Nahin is an underrated song and is superb

Shiny Ahuja was an upcoming talent those days and he does a great job in his role, Kangana Ranaut is superb, few actresses can play such a complex character so well, except her diction she is superb Shaad Randhawa made an effective debut, Purab Kohli is superb as Shiny's friend,Masumeh is terrific too in her small role,rest are okay

Sad & Poignant Movie

[Herag · 7/10 · 19 June 2011]

This movie is similar to "Khoya Khoya Chand" both starring Shiny Ahuja and both based on two actresses who led a disturbed and or disillusioned life and both ending in a untimely death. Ahuja, is one good actor-period. Even though this movie is well made "KKC" is a classic, with great vintage scenes,incredible music and acting (Soha Ali Khan). This movie is based on the life of Parveen Babi, an actress who was hounded, used and dumped by the "Filmi Types" that drove her to a spiritual solace. She would be alive today, if not for her proclivity for seclusion and lack of a close knit family (she died alone, unseen and uncared for behind locked doors at the tender age of 55.) What is depicted in the movie is close to the paranoid behavior that was exhibited by a person who was probably under dire threat to her life and not mental illness that was wrongly attributed to her. Yes, the Film Industry is perfectly capable of branding a person insane, to the extent the world believed it to be a fact. Her last interview in 2002, she dodged these very questions directly and her answers were not indicative of an insane person. Few of her paranoia's were real and few were exaggerated (because she was ignored?). Either way, she is brilliantly portrayed on the screen, by Kangana Ranaut. Both Ahuja and Ranaut, are casting coup for Mahesh Bhatt, who is in the upper echelon of good Indian directors (and so is his daughter Pooja Bhatt). The movie makes us to believe that one person took advantage of her, but in real life, quite a few sinister types took advantage of her, but the last boy friend, was the one who tipped her mental scale. She spent most of her time trying to get even with the real threat (that was construed as imagined?) There was no threat from a woman as this movie leads up to believe. This is a sad and poignant movie. The best line in the movie is when Sam says to Aditya, "My type's can easily get over this-but what are you going to do?" which, very much sums up the value and sentiments of Real Life vs Reel life and Good vs Evil.

Babi's life story

[BiswajitSince2005 · 9/10 · 23 February 2007]

Comes another biopic from Bhatts after Gangster. The biopic of Parveen Babi. Mahesh Bhatt has claimed that the movie is the story between him and Parveen Babi.

Sana is a famous actress who is very insecure and imagines a lot of things which are unreal. She has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Unlike all wealthy peoples, she is also surrounded by peoples who are after her money. Her mother, boy friend and everyone else for that matter.

She meets a struggling Director played by Shiny Ahuja(the role of Mahesh Bhatt). She gets drawn to him whereas the Director uses her for his advantages. Slowly he falls in love with her to escape from the guilt of leaving his mentally ill father in a santorium causing his death. He decides to free her from the mental agonies.

Phir Teri Kahaani Yaad Aayee meets Beautiul Mind

[dhallsulabh · 4/10 · 30 September 2006]

This movie reminded me of a not so much of a hit film of 1993 called "Phir Teri Kahaani Yaad Aayee", starring Pooja Bhatt. Comparing Pooja Bhatt to Kangana, you may feel disappointed, but in her own way, Kangana has tried very hard. Shiny Ahuja is marvelous as always. I don't know why but I came out of the movie blaming him, as if it was he who sought relief of his previous self, when he was a child. At major points, the movie is a direct lift from " A Beautiful Mind". Partly misdirected, the story is strong and actors good. Kangana looks good in the movie. At some points, there is also a "horror" film effect that has been tried. It was meant in good stead, but has been overdone. Also, only a few songs are good, the rest mediocre. Overall, watch it if nothing better to do and a few hours to kill, else can be avoided in favor of Phir Teri....( which would be very hard to find)

great movie

[sapraj2711 · 10/10 · 8 November 2006]

just saw this movie and was very pleasantly surprised!!! Shiny Ahuja not only looks good but has acted so naturally. Randhawa making his debut was a true villain and of course Kangana was better than she was in Gangster!!!!for those of you who have not seen the movie do go and watch it.the soundtrack is amazing too!!!!! i read somewhere that Kangana had a hard time getting into the role which is apparently based on Parveen Babi?! whatever her difficulties she has come through beautifully. one wonders where reality ends and make believe takes over regarding Parveen Babi's life story. whatever it was that Bhatt was trying to convey he has chosen his artists well. maybe somebody out there can tell me whether this really based on Babi's life.

Typical bollywood / Hollywood supposedly a love story, but with a difference

[ravi733 · 5/10 · 27 January 2007]

Music is fantastic and very pleasant to hear with expressive lyrics.

Watch "A Beautiful Mind" for understanding what REAL "paranoid schizophrenia" means.

Commodification of the woman's body is not just one of the themes in the movie but also is very real / factual when u look at as an outsider.

Kangana's acting is good but need not follow mallika or bipasha.......

Shiny needs more expressions shining on his face apart from dialogs delivery.

Ending is horrible, abrupt end like the time out in football ?????? Flashback does not come to real time at all. There is a complete disconnect, was it intentional or editing / directing error.

Not necessarily to watch the movie but still don't forget to listen to the songs as all are truly melodious.

Woh Lame - a thoroughbred hit!

[sonnyazhk · 10/10 · 9 December 2006]

What a superbly enacted drama about the entangled relationships between the personalities of the Indian film world, where everyone is out to use each other to climb the proverbial unsteady ladder to success.

This is the first Hindi film I have seen that has honestly and beautifully presented the difficult subject of paranoid schizophrenia in cinematic form. Kanagana Ranaut is outstanding as the female protagonist, Sana Azeem, who plays a top actress who has made a Faustian pact in order to achieve fame and success. Unfortunately for her, it's her Svengali -like manager and partner, played with thorough evil intent by an actor I do not recognise, who has made her the way she is. She is very unhappy and takes to drink with gusto. Every part of her body and mind is dictated by media sponsors, who decide all aspects of her life.

Into this mix appear a struggling director and his partner, who sees their main chance in Sana – a ticket ride to success. Siney Ahuja, who plays Aditya, a pretentious director, is also outstanding. He is a superb foil to Sana, where the former starts out as disreputable, but charming character, but then slowly falls in love with the beautiful Sana when he sees her vulnerability.

Sana's frequent bouts of hallucinatory attacks – where she sees a female alter ego, an absolutely evil bitch, who pursues her relentlessly – strains her relationship with all the men in her life. We see the back story of how she became what is today, where her condition is diagnosed as schizophrenia. No one but Aditya understands her predicament. As a boy he witnessed his own father, afflicted with mental illness, being subjected to electric shocks to cure his condition.

When Sana herself was sent to a psychiatric ward to be given electric shocks, Aditya kidnaps her and takes to a safe refuge in the countryside, where he helps her to recuperate. It is not easy as her condition goes through a see-saw of emotions – one day, she's well, then the next day she's has recurring attacks of the imaginary female tormentor.

The scenes where Sana enacts her schizoid episodes are superbly handled and absolutely terrifying. Having a member of my own family afflicted with schizophrenia, I know how realistic the scenes are. I am not surprised that Kangana found it difficult to portray, but portray she does. She veers from normality to madness with such consummate ease that it was difficult to tell where the borderline between sanity and madness began or ended. Her scenes were spooky and intense, and so was the imaginary character in her mind, played by unknown actress whose terrifying visage will remain in viewer's mind long after he/she has left the cinema theatre.

Shiny's transformation from sleazy director to sensitive lover was remarkable and natural. He is an actor worth watching out for.

I would recommend this movie to all who are interested in excellent performances, direction, and soundtrack. An outstanding and sensitive screenplay from Mahesh Bhatt – clearly he has delved deeply into his own life to write this tale. A film that is, in turns, entertaining, disturbing, moving and sensitively portrayed. A must-see for aficionados of cinema.

Those Times

[Chrysanthepop · 15 July 2008]

The film is said to be based on Parveen Babi's life but I don't believe it does full justice to the late actress. I would prefer to look at this as a work of fiction, which I think it majorly is. The screenplay is pretty fast-paced but the story feels contrived. The music integrates well with the plot. The songs echo nostalgic melodies of the 90s and I particularly liked 'Sau Jawoon Mein'. Some scenes were a overdone and extremely manipulative. One such scene is where at a film ceremony, Kangana throws her undy at Shiny or the rape scene (which looked quite fake and forced). Performances are quite efficient. Kangana Ranaut does alright in acting but she's miscast. A more mature actress would have been better suited. Shiny Ahuja too is okay overall but his performance is inconsistent. In some scenes he's excellent but in others he does go overboard. Purab Kohli has screen presence and Masumeh Makhija is excellent. She owns all her scenes and is very effective. To sum it up, Woh Lamhe is a good enough one-time watch. But I would have liked to see a movie about the real Parveen Babi, her life, her career, her struggle and her survival.

Mix of Gia and Beautiful Mind

[srawji · 3/10 · 2 December 2006]

It would be nice to see once a Hindi movie that is not taken off from American Movies. I found Kangana's character very similar to Gia. In Gia, Gia is an international famous model whose life spirals downwards due to heroine addiction and dies due to AIDS. With Kangana her character Sana has a mental problem that it costs her her life and her boyfriend played by Shiny to take care of (Gia had her mother for those who don't know). Throw in a twist of the imaginary person and her perception that the world is trying to get her and you add in Gia with Beautiful Mind. If you tried to fool us thinking this was an original idea....you didn't. Comeon, come up with a movie that is original....can Bollywood do that on a consistent basis..?? So far, I think not! I give it 3/10 for lack of creativity.

The evil that men do, lives after them

[Sherazade · 9/10 · 23 January 2008]

That said, to say that this film is close to genius would be a complete understatement. Mahesh Bhatt has taken a chapter out of the life of his former lover, the late actress Parveen Babi (a woman whose life and death was so shrouded in secrecy that it would be virtually impossible not to imagine certain aspects of her life while being transposed to celluloid) and woven a beautiful tapestry, perhaps with the hopes of making it easier to take in and digest. I imagine that Babi's life was far more tormented than portrayed in the film. Let it also be noted that this is Bhatt's second telling of his life with Babi (he also made the 1982 film 'Arth' which was semi-autobiographical about his life with the actress).

The film begins with Sana i.e. the Parveen Babi character (played by Kangana Ranaut) slowly attempting to commit suicide, alone in a hotel room where she has locked herself away having being lost and tormented for so long. The rest of the story is then told in flashback by her lover Aditya (played by Shiny Ahuja) the morning after her nearly lifeless body is found in the hotel. As the movie progresses, we are introduced to a very complex character. A woman destined for greatness but whom society, upbringing, background & influence had failed her miserably. The love story between Sana and Aditya is tempestuous at first but slowly blossoms as the film progresses. I particularly like the way the it was written that Sana is allowed to have at least a moments of joy (despite the fact that the signs of her illness are shown earlier on in the movie) before the disease because to fully manifest itself and eventually take over her. She is a victim of circumstance, desperate to find some solace but it comes a little too late by the time Aditya walks into her life. For one thing, she is battling a debilitating case of paranoid schizophrenia that ultimately ruins her career(& eventually ends her life) and for another it is a family decision on how and whether or not it is addressed and treated.

Renaut is superb as usual, she plays this character she is essaying to the bone and while some have attacked her for over-acting and more things then none, I give her top kudos for attempting to tackle such an intense character at such a young age and stage in her career. Ahuja also takes it to the next level by delivering another fine performance, and proving himself to be one of the finest understated actors working in Bollywood today.

Woh Lamhe is a tragic love story, it's a hauntingly beautiful tapestry of what was and what could have been. It's inspired by the life of a woman whom many loved but few knew. It's all very hard to take but I recommend that everyone see this at least once.

Loved it!

[vsteffens22 · 10/10 · 2 December 2006]

I absolutely loved this movie. I accidentally stumbled upon it after scrolling through movies online. Even though this is a Hindu film, with a different dialect, it was able to capture my attention. The first time I watched it, was on my computer and I had a difficult time understanding what was being said (because of my speakers), but understood the storyline, just by watching the actors'/actresses' facial expressions and actions. The cast did an amazing job acting out their parts and they possess a single talent that captures the audience, making the viewer feel as if they truly know the people in the movie. Your heart goes out to the couple, after seeing what they've both been through and where their futures are heading. Shiny Ahuga is just amazingly brilliant and does a breathtaking job at his role. Kangana is very beautiful and is a natural actress and will go far. The two compliment each other well and look as though they're made for each other- great duo- they really created the film. I have since bought this movie and on TV was able to understand word for word, despite their accents. Once again, great movie- my heart goes out to the director for being so compelling. I cried. I hope Shiny continues to do more films- he's spectacular!

awesome movie

[dolphin2687 · 10/10 · 30 September 2007]

first of all i was not interested in watching the movie .i thought what is going to be special it is going to be just another love story but later when i saw the movie i thought this is one of the best movies .thank god i did not miss such a wonderful movie.the story is a real life story about an actress and a director."kangana" plays the actress and "shiney" the director the love for each other and the affection they share will be amazing.their on screen chemistry was very good the way it is picturised is outstanding."kangana" and "shiney" who played the lead were mind blowing.there are no words to describe their acting skills.the music of the film was too good the songs were very pleasant.they were apt for the situations.overall the film is wonderful

superb movie

[gaurav_sharma_02 · 9/10 · 23 July 2010]

today,i just watched this movie.such a good romantic and sad movie seen after a long time.i just loved every moment of the movie.the movie is a epitome of true love shown by "shiny ahuja",he has done a superb acting,he made me cry in the end.he is a versatile actor,his bond with "kangana ranaut" was ultimate.the song "bin tere"is a real melody come straight from the heart.i would rate this movie 9 because i dint find anything wrong.superb cast,excellent music,fantastic acting.what we need after this.really its a movie who has loved someone and lost it.the movie starts with a rape scene which can be avoided,but kangana ranaut manages her role perfectly whenever she has to modulate.songs were really good,the best part of all the songs are timing,they have really come at the right time.i would definitely watch again.

Suspenseful, endearing, and heartfelt

[frl_charlie · 8/10 · 8 February 2013]

Woh Lamhe (that moment) is about an actress who is often the subject of controversy and her inevitable downward spiral. Sana Azim approaches an acclaimed (by Time magazine, even) Bollywood movie director who has badmouthed her on numerous occasions and as a result of this, the paths of the controversial and prideful actress and the brutally honest director cross until he sees that she may not be as shallow as he initially believed.

I love how Sana throws it all on the line once her identity is threatened by Aditya. She herself hates the fake life she lives, and it's only when she finds someone who agrees with her, even if he's antagonizing her, that she feels like she can possibly give it up. I found it a little strange how Aditya considered her more fake than other actresses, though. I'm not sure why it was her that he found especially fake. Anyway, I also found it interesting how Sana apparently only made it in the industry thanks to the help of a cruel rich director who uses her in more ways than one. It's easy to hate him, and he isn't too much of a caricature to believe. One thing that bothered me was the rape scene. Not the scene itself, as it was executed surprisingly believably for Bollywood, but the fact that it was never addressed afterward. Sana doesn't show any signs that rape was more traumatic than, say, being slapped or beaten up. Considering how disturbing the scene is, I found that very odd.

Anyway, I found many scenes in the movie clever and enjoyable. I liked the first exchange between Sana and Aditya, where Aditya actually calls her ugly, and Sana asks his friend if he thinks she's ugly and he says no. She then says that his opinion isn't necessarily right because his friend disagrees with him, and Aditya counters this by saying that most people are blind, etc. Anyway, their verbal sparring is intense and it's captivating seeing their relationship evolve to feeling sympathy and even love for one another. I found the dialogue relating moments in life to a sand castle that's knocked down on the beach touching.

Then there's the darker aspects of the film that touch on mental illness, specifically paranoid schizophrenia. This is a touchy subject that could have been executed horribly, but I felt the movie portrayed the disorder in a decent way, at least. I liked how they had her hallucination be of an old roommate who was 'jealous' of her fame. Many of these sequences were a bit creepy and you can understand how she would be so terrified and find it incredibly difficult to trust anyone or anything anymore.

Kangana Ranaut is a great actress who I think is especially good when it comes to more quiet and intense scenes. Shiny Ahuja mostly has one expression in the film, but aside from that, he portrays emotion more believably than the average Bollywood actor. I feel that he and Kangana have a lot of chemistry and that makes up for any poor acting.

The songs fit into the movie very well and are very easy on the ears. 'Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai's tune was lifted from a song called 'Tak Bisakah' by the Indonesian band Peter Pan, and who knows if the lyrics are original. Either way, the music video is very nice. Also liked the song 'Chal Chale'.

I read that this movie is based on Parveen Babi's life, and if that's the case, it certainly made me want to watch some of her films. Woh Lamhe is an angst-filled roller coaster ride that is one of the better Bollywood films from recent years.

bottom line:..watch it!

[pbhas · 8/10 · 7 December 2006]

woh lamhe is worth a watch.. those who are reading this review without watching this movie had better go and check this one out and then come back.. still here?..(sigh)..OK.. I committed the same error as to check out some reviews and i got comments like "I was surprised that bollywood can produce such a movie" "you had better be in a serious mood to appreciate the film".. I didn't know whether it was in mockery or seriousness.. to put any such confusions to rest .Its def a great movie a general "hollywoodish " feel permeates through out,but its a bollywood entertainer.and what other scenario is better than bollywood itself.we have beautiful actresses,parties and a cynical upcoming director and his sidekick and we have philandering egoistic actors.. ...Its a beautiful love story though one expects a kind of a different story after hearing shiny say "My dear,don't expect anything from me" Kangana as the schizophrenic actress is a natural..and shiny is no less though his underplaying is sometimes a little unnatural but most of the times a relief...its a simple love story set in exotic conditions,just a simple love story and as always it strikes a chord

Lamhe Kaise Beet Gaye Pata hi Nahin Chala .

[HeadleyLamarr · 8/10 · 26 March 2007]

Parveen Babi's rise to fame, her involvement with Mahesh Bhatt, her downward spiral into mental disease – this is a story that has been told very well before in Mahesh Bhatt's film Arth. So why another rehash of the same story? Is it possible to better a film with Shabana Azmi, Kulbhushan Kharbanda et al.? Mahesh Bhatt retools the now familiar tale and Mohit Suri directs an amazing cast of newcomers and near newcomers in this tale of one woman's struggle to come to terms with her success, her madness and her vulnerability.

Shiny Ahuja shines as the brash movie director Aditya Grewal who courts the lovely, talented and victimized Sana Azim. Sana is played by the luminous Kangana Ranaut. She is stunning as the woman who owes her success to the men, notably fellow actor Nikhil (Shaad Randhawa) around her, and an enabler who allows them to keep exploiting her looks and her fame. Even her mother is shown as an exploiter, who cares more about the man who made Sana and about the money she can get from Sana. Sana is stalked by a mysterious and dangerous woman Rani who turns out to be a figment of her paranoid schizophrenic imagination. Rani is always driving Sana to the brink of insanity and is frequently shown with bandaged wrists. Sana has a break down and is institutionalized but Aditya has horrific memories of his father who was a mental patient and abducts Sana. The outcome of this is well known. You might wonder if this story was worth remaking at all… But I believe it was, just to showcase the immense talent of Shiny Ahuja and Kangana Ranaut. How quickly the 2+ hours sped by watching a familiar tale is only because the entire cast was excellent and the story was told in a very sensitive and touching manner. One thing bothers me a bit, is this Mr. Mahesh Bhatt's attempt to whitewash his own involvement in the Parveen Babi affair? The details of that remain shrouded in mystery but this particular tale is well written and beautifully essayed by the lead pair. I will be watching out for more from Miss Ranaut. Shiny had previously blown me away with his performance in Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi so now his status as a serious actor of note is cemented.

Pritam has provided beautiful music in the film and my favorites are Chal Chalein Apne Ghar Humsafar and the poignant Too Jo Nahin Hai to Kuch Bhi Nahin Hai. The cinematography is brilliant and this is a beautiful film.

Best love story

[ppuja-20882 · 10/10 · 28 August 2018]

One of the best romantic movie and such a beautiful love story..... And shiney ahuja's role was so heart touching