Mithya

I was feeling a bit low so wanted to watch a light and funny movie. The movie served the purpose really well. The cast is really good and the actors do justice to their characters. Simple, nothing fancy but will keep you entertained.

Finally, something decent emerges from the Bollywood stable this year. As always, Actor/Director Rajat Kapoor brings audiences a challenging film that tears through conventional Bollywood film-making norm, and once again comes out a triumph. After the...(read more) impressive two-punch of Mixed Doubles and Raghu Romeo, Rajat tries his hand at a gangster film with Mithya. Publicized as a comedy to lure audiences in, for the most part the film is actually a drama with elements of dark comedy. Without giving it away, let me just say that Mithya's story is akin to taking Shahrukh Khan's Om Prakash Makhija character and dumping him into the world of another Shahrukh starrer, Don, without the masala. Moreover, Mithya is a much better product than the former films, sorry Shahrukh Khan. With that being said, the film is a clever mix of dark comedy and traditional drama, with some brilliant performances complimenting a wonderful 'different' script. Ranvir Shorey is excellent as a man striving to figure out who he is, and where he belongs. He effectively portrays the range of emotions needed for his character. The rest of the cast support Shorey effectively. This is a movie that will make you laugh, cry, and think. See It!

A movie that showcases the coming of age of Indian cinema. We've had a lot of movies of late that signify a promising future (Dil Chahta Hai, Bheja Fry, Rang De Basanti), and this one carries forward the future of Bollywood. Directed beautifully by Rajat Kapoor (who was also involved with Bheja Fry), this movie is all you want a movie to be- Crisp storyline, brilliant acting, entertaining dialogues, and riveting as a whole. Ranvir Shorey revels in the lead role, very smoothly fitting into the roles of V.K. the actor and Raje the Don, and he gets even better when he's playing both the roles in the same body! He is truly a great actor, and if this is the direction Bollywood chooses to take, then he will be at the helm of it. Vinay Pathak as usual gives a dedicated performance, funny with the tinge of darkness. His buddy (dunno his name) is also fantastic, and his dialogue delivery and accent are hilarious. Neha Dhupia excels at looking hot. Naseeruddin Shah doesn't have much of a role, and in the later stages, his character was overshadowed (in the story itself, and in screen presence too) by Saurabh Shukla. The locales are wonderful. The background score is perfect for the movie. The absence of songs pleases you. All in all, an excellent experience, and the last line of the movie makes you realise, that its not just a dark comedy. Go watch it!

While the many reviews I have read described 'Mithya' as a multi-layered thriller, I found it to be quite simple in terms of story but very layered. Due to the dark themes, it does fall on the lines of last year's 'Johnny Gaddaar', 'Manorama Six Feet Under' and 'Ek Chalis ki Last Local' in some ways but at the same time it's a completely different experience. 'Mithya' is indeed a terrific accomplishment by Kapoor and Shukla. While the screenplay may be a little imbalanced especially the comedy and the thriller it works very well for the film. It drags a bit at some sequences especially the first half. The ending while abrupt (and predictable) remains powerful and strangely the film then felt very short in length. On the technical front, while 'Mithya' is a dark film, the limited (and sometimes) poor use of lighting was a little irritating but the cinematography works.

Now to the good stuff, I loved how Bollywood clichés have been used and taken a step further (unlike the so many Bollywood films where they just create more plot holes) leading to further twists and peeling off layers. Shukla and Kapoor did a fine job with the writing with the exception that some of the supporting characters could have done with more development. Sagar Desai's score is fantastic. I remember how much I loved his music in Rajat Kapoor's 'Mixed Doubles' and here he uses a completely different tune that is darker and less cheerful and does not disappoint one bit. I also liked how the dream/flashback and the 'search' sequences were shot. The film gives the similar feel of illusion as 'Manorama: Six Feet Under' but unlike 'Manorama' where it was quiet, warmly colourful and chaotic, here it is dark/cold-tinted, 'noisy' and chaotic. I liked the use of metaphors and symbols too e.g. the link between the most famous monologue in Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', 'To Be Or Not To Be', and the drowning corpse(s) (Ophelia).

Here is one role that Ranvir Shorey has used to fully explore his acting. I cannot think of anyone else who could have done more justice to this multi-layered complex character as Shorey completely owned the part. It's perhaps a little too early to call it among the finest performances of the year but it's powerful nonetheless. Neha Dhupia oozes sex as she looks sizzling but her acting was mostly okay (nothing standout). Vinay Pathak and Saurabh Shukla are okay too (as the writing does not give them much scope). Iravati Mahadev makes the best of the little role she has which results in an impressive performance. Unfortunately, Naseeruddin Shah does not have much screen time but he makes the best of what he's given.

In a nutshell, I would call it a brilliant film by Shukla and Kapoor. Critics seem to overly praise it just for being different rather than for being powerfully amusing (which it is). Okay, I'll rephrase that: It deserves to be praised for being a phenomenal film rather than for just being different. But I suppose that allows the viewer to discover for themselves what they're in for. In my opinion, this is the first great Indian film of the year. Yes, there are flaws but the impact of its viewing is undeniable (at least for me).

Talking about the lives of gangsters in India, Mithya takes the story- line to a whole new level, where a two-bit actor played by Ranvir Shorey is sent to impersonate his look-alike gangster.

The fun starts when the other gang teach the actor how to act and what to do once he gets inside the enemy clan's lair. Trouble ensues when he loses his memory after a fall. With some well-written characters, the plot follows the gang-rivalry and the towards the end, it turns out to be a heart-aching story which induces emotions and sympathy & anger.

Rajat Kapoor is an okay director but I am amused by the characters and how this cast should be called the "Bollywood frat pack."

BOTTOM LINE: A very different kinda movie, which don't get released much. Recommended!

Violence/Gore: Critical | Sex/Mouth-Kiss: No | Vulgarity: Mild | Alcohol/Smoking/Drugs: Mediocre