Das himmlische Tal

Before inventing my 90 mins ( avg time of a movie) I always read review of a film on IMDb to be sure that I am not wasting my time so I am writing this review to make sure that people of India DO WTCH this piece of work..

When the movie came out ( 2005 ) I was in 10th standard and that time I was not matured enough to understand the deep root of Kashmir issue and when I saw this movie on TV due to commercial breaks I didn't watch the movie completely but I vividly remember the SONG - " Nam ada likhna".. after so many years I find this movie in IMDb list of top 100 Indian cinema and surprised to see that the the Director is : Shoojit Sircar, who gave us Vicky Donor, PIKU and also Madras Cafe.. so I closed my eyes and downloaded the movie..

And at the end I just thanked myself that I choose to watch this movie.. One of the realistic movies made on Kashmir issue and at the end the massage given to the Kashmir's.. The background score is the silver inning on the movie and the acting of Minisha Lamba ( debutante) is commendable .

If you LOVE GOOD SENSIBLE MOVIES and SKIP THIS ONE then you bound to regret at some point...

At first when i heard of Yahaan, I thought it would just be a lame love story based based on the typical Indian style, but after seeing the movie i don't think i can say that. The location of the movie well suits the story, and it has been filmographed very well. The stars acted very well and the story line was also well paced. It does not only shows romance but also the current situations of Kashmir, torn by rivalry by both the countries India and Pakistan. The dialogues are good and it is and inspiring love story. The songs in particular are also very very good and suit the story line perfectly. Unlike most of the movies i enjoyed this movie a lot!

Shoojit Sircar's 'Yahaan' is a love story set against the backdrop of Kashmir during the ongoing war. But it's not a conventional love and war story. Sircar brings a freshness, both in telling the story and executing the film. He gives it a bluish tint (the film's not entirely in colour) which gives it a stark look. The camera is also used effectively, sometimes shaky (during the shootout sequences) and sometimes static.

The songs and background score are beautiful. I loved hearing the violin and the eastern flute play in the background. Shantanu Moitra's soundtrack is one to keep. I particularly love the song 'Naam Adaa Likhna'.

Jimmy Shergill leads 'Yahaan'. Finally he has a lead role in a substantial film and he does a superb job. Minisha Lamba has a strong screen presence. For a newcomer she does quite well in bringing out Ada's enigma, vulnerability, courage and strength. Both actors share a warm chemistry. The supporting cast is okay but Yashpal Sharma is a bit irritating at times.

Furthermore, another thing I liked about 'Yahaan' is that Sircar is sincere in his story. There's no hidden agenda, no Hindu v/s Muslim hatred. Nor is it overly preachy. It's about two people in Kashmir who fall in love and about the people of Kashmir. Recommended.

Yahaan takes a realistic look at love in Kashmir, heaven turned into hell. It does a good job of showing the innocence of Adaa and her family in stark contrast to the heartbreaks that occur everyday in war-torn Kashmir. Jimmy Shergill, a soldier with a big heart, comes and falls in love with Adaa. Their romance is portrayed very aesthetically. It is interesting to see how Jimmy and Adaa switch roles. The first half of the film is shown through Jimmy's point of view, while the second half has Adaa adopting the role of the protagonist. Some symbols are interesting such as jeans ("Do they wear jeans in Mumbai?"), which symbolize freedom. Photography is absolutely stunning as each frame does an excellent job of capturing the intense emotions of the characters and suffocating atmosphere of Kashmir. This film has several very poignant scenes.

An excellent movie. Its pathetic that public goes gaga over silly SRK movies and doing injustice to fine movies like Yahaan. Minisha is great for her debut and Jimmy is quite charming. Very good music. I love song "Naam Ada likhna" is in class of Machis. Very nice story and screenplay. I found this movie's DVD at one of the Public library in USA and was surprised. The librarian told me that some Indian reader recommended this movie and they just ordered it. It was a treat to watch this movie. My wife liked it too. A very simple but heart touching love story going swiftly. Cinematography is superb and takes you to Kashmir.