Sunday 7 October 2012

Barfi-Life Celebrated


The pristine joy of innocence captured as poetry on celluloid ! Fresh like a breath full of fragrant air on a beautiful morning in the hills, Barfi will plunge you into a vortex of emotions from the word go. What makes it different from other movies of the same genre is that despite the physical & mental challenges the main leads are born with there is no room for mushiness or tear jerking. There is a joyful acceptance of the inevitable and there is celebration of life. There is so much spontaneity with which the characters deal with their lot that it evokes wonders and awe in the viewer rather than sympathy and that in my mind is the USP of the movie.
The story is not about disability but the amazing ability of the blessed individuals who see life as God’s gift. Just look around and you will see a zillion people, able in mind and body, make a trillion complaints about their luck, their jobs, their spouse, the system, the neighbor, the car, the list is endless and turn their lives into a miserable existence, something to be endured rather than enjoyed. Despite their normalcy it unfortunately makes them blind to all that life has to offer. The trick of experiencing joy or sorrow is the ability to sift through the challenges of life and identify all that makes us better humans. It takes a great deal of honesty with one’s thoughts and emotions and those who have it reflect in their faces. Barfi & Jhilmil epitomize that glow. Their handicap and their world within doesn’t deter them from reaching out for what their heart perceives as right for them.
After the fabulous portrayal of Rockstar, Ranbir Kapoor raises the bar further in a fantastic display of acting capability. Consider this; he has precisely three words to speak in the entire movie and the rest is an emotive roller coaster. His eyes and expressions render dialogues redundant. There is so much energy in his movement that he leaves you gasping. And Priyanka Khosla never ceases to surprise me. Portraying an autistic child woman, her innocent insecurity is heartwarming. Illena D’Cruz is another surprise package as the woman battling her emotions in split loyalties. The movie has been crafted with love. Beautiful hills of Darjeeling vie with the sights and sounds of Bengal.
An amazing love story, it is rich with laughter and replete with mischief and no, you will not slyly wipe your tears but your heart will constantly be tugged towards a beautiful cocoon of trust and innocence which somehow always redeems one’s faith in the goodness of creation. A masterpiece, no less !!

No comments: