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Friday, October 4, 2024
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BOLLYWOOD DANGEROUS ISHQ
EDITOR'S PICK
Rating: *** 1/2
Karisma Kapoor`s grand-slam of a return to form (and shape) in Vikram Bhatt`s
startling mix of myth and mystery in Dangerous Ishq proves that
there is life after 30 for Bollywood divas. You just need to get a life.
Bhatt, so far consumed in making relatively small films about paranormal
experiences, pulls out all stops in Dangerous Ishq to make Karisma`s
comeback a near-spectacular cinematic event.
The film told through many eras of tumult, mythology and history engages our
attention on many levels. It takes its interestingly-etched protagonist through
several lives in search of her missing soulmate. This commodiousepic time-frame
stretching from 2012 to the 16th century gives Karisma a chance to slip into
several costume changes.
Luckily for her and for the audience, Dangerous Ishq is not only
about getting into the right clothes. Amin Hajee`s script makes resonant
existential statements without getting the plot tangled in ideas and concepts.
Beyond a point it ceases to matter whether the audience believes in after-life
or reincarnation.
Bhatt`s splendidly executed mythological-thriller just makes you thankful for
the gift of mythology, philosophy and cinematic technique that makes a film so
daring in concept come alive in flaming colours of pain anger defiance and
redemption.
Indeed, this is a film that takes us far beyond the accepted boundaries of
entertainment to forge a new genre of cinematic experience where the pauranic
katha of Savitri retrieving her husband from the clutches of Yama, the God
of death, is taken to an unexplored level of cinema.
In Raaz, 10 years ago Bhatt had explored the same theme. Here, he
takes the theme to the arena of the unknown.
From the opening scenes where Sanjana (Karisma) turns back from a traffic snarl
on the way to Mumbai airport to board a flight for a year of a posh a modelling
assignment in Paris, to be with her beau (Rajniesh Duggal), you know when it
comes to love this lady means business.
Bhatt gets considerable support from his technicians in building a rugged
reverberant artefact that carries the love tale through centuries of strife,
blood shed and anguish. The drama is created with a keen eye for heightened
emotions. And yet ironically, Karisma pitches her performance at a subdued
decibel. Even when her soul screams in protest at being separated from her
eternal lover through four life times, the actress exudes fortitude andrestrain.
Welcome back, Karisma!
Karisma gets able support from a slew of capable actors playing her predatory
male adversary in various lifetimes. Rajineish partners her ably. Ravi Kissan
and Aarya Babbar stand out among the villains who want to separate them.
Divya Dutta as Karisma`s friend once again proves that she can carry any kind of
situation to a believable level. However, Gracy Singh as Meerabai provides
unintended laughter.
As for Jimmy Sheirgill, here`s an actor who never lets a script down. Here he
has a role that reveals several dark shades of psychological trauma as it
progresses from investigating a kidnapping to investing in afterlife. Jimmy is
every bit in form.
But the film`s real hero is Karisma. She is virtually in every frame.
Cinematographer Pravin Bhatt captures Karisma`s lucid face in dazzling shades
suggesting an ageless fusion of night and day.
And then there are the 3D effects. Never before in an Indian film have we seen
the 3D technique been applied with such resounding impact. The flying rubble,
boulders and the dust in the key action scenes actually makes you flinch as they
hurl out of the screen at the speed of the film`s excellent sound.
Dangerous Ishq has the best 3D effects seen in an Indian film, on a
par with what we saw recently in The Avengers, if not better.
Miraculously the audience forgets the film is in 3D, as the gripping story takes
over, transporting us into several world, moods, emotions and interpretations of
love commitment and determination.
Indeed Dangerous Ishq is a far greater achievement than a sum-total
of its storytelling and technique. Bhatt creates an audacious heady mix of
mythology and the supernatural.
This film could be interpreted as an illustrated graphic novel with the 3D
effects being optional. Leave it out, and you are still left with a film that
balances many lives in the same line of vision without making the drama a slave
to period or costumes.
Bhatt tells it with a deep-throated rush of passion. You may not believe in past
lives. But this film sure makes you believe punar-janam has a future in our
cinema.
A not to be missed experience.
Directed
by Vikram Bhatt, Dangerous Ishhq hits the screens in 3D format and
features Rajniesh Duggall, Jimmy Sheirgill and Divya Dutta.
The film tells the story of supermodel Sanjana (Karisma) and her boyfriend Rohan
(Rajniesh), son of one of the nation`s biggest business tycoons. They are the
most popular couple on the social circuit. However, their life takes a turn when
Rohan gets kidnapped.
The high-profile kidnapping creates chaos in Sanjana`s life. The kidnappers
demand Rs.50 crore, but the police believe that even paying the ransom will not
bring Rohan back.
In this extreme trauma, Sanjana discovers something extraordinary. She sees
visions of them together, sometime in the past, in different eras. In her
visions lie definitive clues that could lead her to save the love of her life.
The suspense thriller will see Karisma`s character going through a period of 500
years through past-life regression.
The 37-year-old actress has made sure she makes a flawless comeback and trained
in five dialects for the film. She took various workshops to clear her diction
for the demanding role, which will see her in different avatars.
Director Vikram Bhatt has rubbished reports that Dangerous Ishq is a
horror film, and said it`s a mystery set with the backdrop of reincarnation.
Last seen in Mere Jeevan Saathi in 2006, Karisma is eagerly looking
forward to the release of the film as it would help decide her fate in the
industry.
