Life in a Metro

They say all's well that ends well. And what if it starts well, runs well and ultimately ends well. Then it's something really good. That's the case with Anurag Basu's Life in a Metro.

The film has promising start, with 7-8 different characters being introduced, with Mumbai rains in backdrop. Then a rock band, as drenched as the city, appears from nowhere to churn out a fabulous opening song. You prepare yourself for a good cinematic experience during the song itself. And the best part is the promise is not broken till the end.

It's a story of different characters, interwoven together with some link. The narrative is tight and gripping. And that rock band keeps appearing in between, giving soul to the narration. Pritam has done a good job in music department. The film depicts how lives have become in today's fast living cities. People are always in top gear. Chase, rivalry, competition, dreams, compromises, sexual frustrations, exploitation, opportunism, disappointment, love, ecstasy… you'll find all emotions in the movie. The film tells the story of people who in search of destination forgot to enjoy the journey, who listen their minds over their hearts. The story is very believable, very true to life. Don't be surprised if you find yourself in one of the characters.

Anurag Basu has assembled a line of best performing actors. Kay Kay is impeccable as ever. Shilpa Shetty looks as good as she acts; she's finally getting roles to show her acting prowess and not only those never ending legs. Irfan and Konkana are at equal élan with comedy as they are with intense roles. Sharman Joshi is one actor who seems to fit any bill. Kangna is improving, both her looks and dialog delivery. But best performer remains Anurag Basu. He has handled the script and actors wonderfully to give a very good cinema. A very good effort by the whole team.

I've really wanted to see this movie especially because of the ensemble cast that boasts of India's most talented actors (including Irfan Khan, Shilpa Shetty, Konkona Sen Sharma, Kay Kay Menon and Shiny Ahuja). I got a bit hesitant after hearing negative comments but finally decided to give it a go.

'Metro' is a cleverly made (for most parts) movie about intertwined lives of people living in the urban city. With first class cinematography the setting of the urban city is fully used. You do get the feel of the city and its chaotic inhabitants who are so busy with their own goals and yet they seem to be missing what they crave most.

Let's start with director/writer Anurag Basu. Well, Mr. Basu, this film could have been excellent if it weren't for the following flaws: one of the subplots is sort of a rip-off, some characters required more footage, the background score is intrusive at times and Basu tries too hard to put some 'subtle' messages (e.g. the poster of 'Brokeback Mountain' in Konkona's boss's room). While most of the subplots end well (although predictable), the ending of Shikha's story required better writing. It is because of this flaw that the climax isn't as powerful as it could have been. Through Shikha's decision, Basu's intention was probably to portray her as a strong woman but instead she comes off as a very weak character. However, I have to say that 'Life in a Metro' is a major step forward since his ripoff debut 'Saaya' followed by the atrocious 'Murder'.

On the flip side, 'Metro' consists of the best soundtracks of 2007. All the songs have been presented in the background, and they contribute well to the narration. The band appear now and then during each song which is quite a novel concept (but maybe their appearance should have been a more limited).

The dialogues are outstanding and very witty, especially those between Shilpa and Kay Kay, Shilpa and Shiny and Konkona and Irfan.

The whole Sharman-Kangana-Kay Kay track is pretty much a copy of the classic 'The Apartment' and 'Yes Boss'. However, here it's presented in a darker tone. Then there's a scene where Konkona discovers her boyfriend's sexuality. Now why did Basu give poor Konkona the exact scene from Page 3? The Dharmendra-Nafisa track, though was nice and sweet, at times it seemed a little out of place (except the scene with Dharmendra, Shilpa and Konkona) and forced because it doesn't fit with any of the other subplots. However, this track does somewhat add more to the actions of Shilpa's character. Nonetheless, this track of the elderly couple is still pleasant to watch.

The background score, is suitable and effective in parts but at times very intrusive and hinders the effect of the performances by giving it a more melodramatic touch.

Coming to the performances, Metro belongs to Irfan Khan, Shilpa Shetty, Konkona Sen Sharma and Kay Kay Menon. Both Konkona and Shilpa's non-verbal expressions speak volumes.

Shilpa brings out the depth in her character with such realism that we don't see the Big Brother girl or the woman who was kissed by Richard Gere, but we see a miserable and vulnerable Shikha. We see Shikha as the devoted housewife who yearns the love and affection of her hateful husband, who is so eaten by guilt at the thought of cheating on her indifferent husband that she even asks for his forgiveness (knowing that he's broken every wedding vow). This woman has proved again that she is an excellent actress when given role of substance and thankfully she's avoiding the glamour doll roles which have been overshadowing her acting talent. Her scenes with Shiny, Kay Kay and Konkona are some of the most memorable ones. There's definitely a warm (and sometimes hot) chemistry between her and her co-stars. This is definitely one of her best.

Konkona Sen is one actress who has not given anything other than mind-blowing performances. She does an excellent job, taking over a role that was initially offered to Urmila Matondkar. Here, with complete ease, she portrays her character Shruti's transition from the simple naive city girl who is frustrated with her sex-life to the sexy 'outgoing' girl to the modern and somewhat mature girl in love. Her scenes with Irfan are hilarious and equally memorable as the scenes mentioned above.

Irfan Khan is equally excellent as is Shiny Ahuja. We see both these characters respectively from Shikha and Shruti's point of view. Irfan makes full use of his limited screen time (but his character very much resembles the one he played in '7.5 Phere'). One would have hoped that Basu gave Shiny's character more footage. His character was one of the most interesting but hardly has more than a few scenes. Yet, he does more than a remarkable.

Menon's character is probably the most hateful of all. The actor is a complete natural (though this does remind you a little of the character he played in Silsiilay). However one could argue that his character is a bit one-dimensional except in the scenes with his daughter where we see a loving father. The character needed further development.

Joshi is improving with every movie while Ranaut is repeating her Sana Azim damsel in distress from 'Woh Lamhe'. She's adequate but just like Woh Lamhe, here too a more mature actress would have been better suited. In their limited presence, Dharmendra is very likable (thank God, no Amitabh in this one) while Nafisa Ali shines.

All in all, this is more than just a watchable flick. It's definitely more than worth a watch among the movies releasing nowadays. What stand out most are the amazing performances. You do take something with you after leaving the theatres.

With one movie, Anurag Basu rose quite high in my books as a director to look out for. Gangster was in many ways a complete movie for an Indian Movie audience and one of the best features of last year. Expectantly, Life in a... Metro was highly anticipated, especially with the movie repeating most of Basu cast & crew and a few more welcome actors. Basu sits right on top of the breed of Bhatt-nurtured directors who, if nothing else, have always made movies distinctly different from regular Bollywood fare.

Life in a... Metro is an amalgamation of six stories between nine characters from one suburb. These stories entwine and intersect at various points to portray personal lives for regular middle-class suburb dwellers. Passion, Sex, Loyalty, Romance, Lust, Stress and Love become the underlying themes woven into the fabric of the movie.

Basu is not in top form here, but this could be more due to constraints of mainstream Bollywood. Visibly a bigger and a more conformist producer like UTV (Ronnie Screwwala) is not as liberal as the Bhatts with Basu. Melodrama and formula somehow creep in and take over the final act of the movie in a complete departure of style from the rest of the movie. Apart from this major gripe, Basu deftly handles interspersing between stories and fleshing out his characters. Adultery becomes a major theme in most of the stories, but moral questions are not raised and neither ignored. Events are simply depicted "as is", letting the viewer judge for him/herself of their moral implications. That extra-marital affairs and sex-for-favors exist is taken as fact rather than implied, taboo'd or endorsed. Rather, the effect of it on individuals is depicted differently and quite aptly. Among the troupe of (mostly) wonderful actors, Kay Kay Menon thunders ahead portraying a selfish and chauvinistic husband and boss. Any scenes with him are the highlights of the movie proving again beyond doubt how wonderful an actor he is, regardless of the character he plays. Yet, for the genuinety of him you are left wanting to see more of him on screen than the limited screen time the director could afford. Complementing him in a parallel story is Irrfan, an equally gifted actor, playing a passionate and philosophical middle-age single guy looking for an ideal wife through matrimonial ads. Sprinkle around them a host of characters to support their stories, and you have a wonderful ensemble that is as true to the setup of the movie as any. Shiny Ahuja and Kanga Ranaut play easy parts but their talents are used only to a minimum. Dharmendra, Nafisa Ali, Sharman Joshi and Konkona Sen Sharma play regulars. Exception: Shilpa Shetty. Her character and performance are so out of this movie that you wonder if she walked into the wrong movie set with a different script. Shamelessly flaunting her star status and new-found celebrity, she proves yet again that being and "Actor" and a "Movie Star" are not mutually inclusive.

Basu's association with Pritam continues to produce some really good music. The movie's music is more of a soundtrack with a single musical theme in all the tracks. Basu also has the three-member band appear throughout the movie inbetween and during scenes. These band members are part of the crowd, or drifters singing the tracks that are sprinkled through the movie. A high-end concept for Indian Cinema, and one that works for me completely.

Although the climax reaches levels of extreme campyness, it is easy to forgive the director for the battle he fights with only a few others on his side against Bollywood conventionalism. Yet, after the powerful Gangster, Basu's latest is a step down. For his and our sake, I wish him back to the Bhatts.

My Rating --> 3.5 of 5

Inspired by Love Actually and that genre of storytelling, "Life in a Metro" is a sometimes insightful and sometimes predictable movie that is well worth a watch for its performances. The narrative featuring Kay Kay and Shilpa Shetty is genuine with many insightful comments -Shilpa Shetty's about the "deafening silences in marriages", the interesting question of which between physical or emotional infidelity is worse. Kay Kay's character of being a loving father who is adored by his daughter was a further dose of realism. Nothing is black and white. Special mention to both Kay Kay and Shilpa Shetty (didn't realise she had it in her) for really pulling it off. Shiny Ahuja is adequate without being special.

The other narratives were more predictable. Sharman Joshi and Kangana Raut - which is sort of a take off from "The Apartment" with Jack Lemmon and "For Love or Money" with Michael J Fox. So were Dharmendra and Nafisa Ali as the loving elder couple.

The track with Konkona Sen and Irfan is very entertaining. Irfan Khan is outstanding - an adjective one has started to use very often with him. Konkona adequate. However the circumstances make for some genuinely funny moments. Konkona as the 30 year old virgin dying to be with her idea man and Irfan - as about the most unlikely of men she could ever see herself with.

While I would not go so far as to herald this movie as either a path-breaking or life-altering Hindi movie (as some of the more dramatic leanings have suggested), I would say it is well worth a watch. It has a good music track - but could have done without the really hairy guy singing, as we changed from one narrative to the other.

I Really enjoyed this film, i think that it is better than the reviews it has been given, all the actors gave great performances , and the story line is superb,this film takes you on a journey of life,love and all its ups and downs that people can go through.

I really like how the director has shown the lives of all the characters, and at times he used split screen to do so. I think the film is wonderful how the music is played during the dramatic scenes,with an actual live trio guy band, i think they are famous , but I'm not sure since i am not that educated in Asian films,but i take it they are because they are great!!! the effect is just fantastic, it is a film that has shown much of a creative side that makes you more drawn as you watch.

A must see film