Being Cyrus

Being Cyrus is a wonderful and intense psychological drama. It is a dark, comic, urbane and very interesting film about a young man who shows up on the doorstep of a dysfunctional Sethna family, led by a carefree sculptor named Dinshaw, who Cyrus claims to be a fan of. That's where he resides, working as Dinshaw's apprentice and assistant. Cyrus gets close to Dinshaw's adulterous and impulsive wife Katy. Through his narration and their relations the story presents us the other half of the family living in an old dilapidated building in Mumbai - Dinshaw's brother Farookh, who lives with his young bride Tina and their father Fardon, a neglected old man who is badly maltreated by his son. Thrown between these two families, Cyrus has to materialise a plan, which seems to be quite evident throughout the movie but is revealed only towards the end. The mystery is not solved until the film's final scenes. An engagingly complicated and twisted script is the strongest link of Being Cyrus. The film is riveting, symbolic and straight to the point. It is not your run-of-the-mill Bollywood film, it is a different and fresh product which celebrates its uniqueness, and that's one of the things it must be applauded for. Cyrus is a young sophisticated man whose silence often says more than his actual words. Saif Ali Khan brilliantly displays this aspect of Cyrus's nature. His narration is also very effective. Naseeruddin Shah does not disappoint in a greatly restrained act, but he actually does not have that much to work with. Dimple Kapadia, though very sexy as the neurotic Katy, is surprisingly disappointing and at times her acting looks forced. Boman Irani is excellent in his role. Simone Singh does very well, too. To sum it up, Being Cyrus is a fun watch. It is intelligently written and well directed, and it is only one hour and 25 minutes long, quite an exception.

What an amazing well made movie! The movie actually does have a very complex plot both Physiologically and sociologically but Homi's Direction make the movie simple to understand and a pleasure to watch!

I say complex Physiologically because it is, It takes you just enough into the depths of the minds of these two characters, namely Cyrus and Tina to make you understand that something is not right and the thrilling end explains it all. Sociologically because we see and hear about such things that happen to old people like Fardoonji on a daily basis in all communities and races in India and abroad (namely Mistreatment of older folks and sometimes even murder.) The Movie spends just enough time on all the aspects and issues which make it so interesting to watch. It touches upon the Idiosyncrasies of the Parsi Community, (but this could relate too and be true for any community as such) the dysfunctional family of the Sethna's and then delves into the psychology of two young kids messed up by years of abuse, all while keeping within the boundaries of traditional "Bawa" Humour!

Kudos to all of the stars as well, Saif Does an outstanding job with "Being Cyrus" and could very well be made an Honorary Bawa now. Dimple Kapadia and Nasrueidin Shah are absolutely brilliant and deserve to be nominated for some award, I don't care pick an award, ANY award! On the whole, a brilliant and well made movie, AWESOME JOB HOMI! You know industry insiders touted M.Night Shamalyan as the next Steven Spielberg in the US after the 6th sense! I think, if Homi Adjanina keeps up this trend he would definitely be the next Steven Spielberg of India!!! Bravo to this young Director!!!!!

This recent Bollywood film had been lurking around the shops and I'd hear people refer to it as a 'different' 'offbeat' or 'art' film, not the usual 'masala' entertainment at all. Even though I fully realize that the hey-day of the Indian parallel cinema is over, I do keep on the lookout for the odd experiment or mixing of genres that filmmakers attempt every so often. Well, this turned out to be a hugely underrated little gem. It's off-beat alright, and doesn't have any silly musical numbers that plague the more mainstream Indian films. But what most reviewers and critics have failed to point out about it, is that it is really a good old-fashioned 'film noir', (albeit minus the moody lighting, and with a generous dose of humor) given a bit of post-modern sheen. It's a little too soft-edged (read: wholesome) and could have been a bit more atmospheric, but I suppose that for a first-time attempt, this is pretty good. The script is not as twisty or clever as it may seem at first (certainly won't fool any experienced film-noir buff), and I even guessed the 'big reveal' at the end, long before it came. But these minor quibbles do not get in the way of a thoroughly enjoyable tale, with many finely etched, memorable scenes (including a bizarre dream sequence). The performances vary, and the director seems unsure of the tone he wants his actors to take, but overall they are all good. Honey Chayya is particularly outstanding as the semi-senile old man Sethna. Naseeruddin Shah is wasted as the pot-head pottery maestro, but he plays the role well enough. Dimple Kapadia is a perfect portrait of a shrill, conniving, slutty middle-aged housewife. But Simone Singh is a little too pure and straight-laced (even when she's being shown 'rebelling' behind her hubby's back). Saif Ali Khan is just fine as the protagonist. All in all, a great little comedy/drama/thriller that doesn't outstay it's welcome, and at 83 minutes, is paced quite efficiently. No surprises for noir fans, but a pleasant enough ride through somewhat familiar territories, and an unexpected gem from the outskirts of Bollywood.

First few reels gives you an impression of a documentary giving an insight into a Parsi life.

¤ Naseeruddin Shah:: We little mortals have no authority to question/ doubt/ comment on his body of work. Simply put - the act of the dreamer at its best.

¤ Saif Ali Khan: Just what the doctor ordered. Nobody could have fitted the role like "hand-in-glove" as Saif did.

¤ Dimple Kapadia: The "come-hither-passes" are neatly done, not a hint of slightest crass in it.

¤ Boman Irani: If you loved him in "Munnabhai MBBS", you will hate him in this one. The word "Pappah!" will ring in your ears. Simply put – he gets into the skin of the character.

¤ Simone Singh: "Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes" act done perfectly.

¤ Honey Chayya: Man, even his performance is so very genuine that you feel pity for "Fardounjee". Pay attention to the subtle nuances.

¤ Manoj Pahwa:: Luckily doesn't go OTT but still slightly loud.

A lot of effort has been put in pre-production which is visible in the witty script, tight screenplay, camera handling, dark toned look of the movie and the way the story unfolds/ narrated.

And yes, the last 20-minutes sweeps your feet away.

Where are you hiding Homi Adajania, roll on!

I have always seen Saif Ali Khan as one of the most talented stars of Indian cinema. He is one of the actors who underwent enormous transformation in his career, and is today one of the rare entities in Bollywood who have style with even more substance.

Being Cyrus is not his best performance till date. And yet, it will probably always be remembered as one of his memorable roles because of the dark shades to his character.

The movie boasts of an incredible line of greats from Indian cinema, and a pretty good storyline. I will refrain from making any reference to the storyline since it is bound to give away something about the movie.

Overall, an enjoyable movie and something that you will probably want to watch more than once!