Lekin...

In Lekin, Sameer, a museum curator working for the government, is sent to Rajasthan to evaluate artifacts in an ancient mansion which ages ago belonged to Raja Param Singh and is now government property. His arrival in the region is marked by an eerie encounter with Rewa, a beautiful woman who he gradually realises is actually a ghost. Sameer is fascinated by her sporadic apparitions and is greatly absorbed by this phenomenon. When their encounters grow, and their interactions deepen, she presents him with a live flashback which reenacts the mansion's history, which includes her tragic story of captivity in the hands of the ruthless king. Sameer is quick to understand that Rewa is stranded between worlds and needs to complete her journey across the desert to find liberation. He becomes determined to help her through this journey and liberate her.

Lekin is a work of transcendent art. One can hardly ever expect less than pure artistry from Gulzar, and this film, like most of his previous ventures, is poetic, poignant, profound, and deeply affecting. The film is beautifully photographed, with extraordinary setting, costume design, background score and overall high production values masterfully used to depict its magical realism. Written with fantastic creativity and directed with fervour by Gulzar, Lekin is an experimental piece, which wavers between supernatural suspense, platonic romance, thrilling adventure, or even coming of age drama. And it threads between all those genres by embracing its rich folkloristic fantasy. The use of symbolism enhances the narrative, the way the ghostly apparitions and past imagery are presented is most enchanting, while the story in flashbacks really tugs at the heartstrings.

The film's use of magical realism is a very rare occasion in Hindi cinema. Particularly interesting is its approach to supernatural phenomena, which are seen through an intellectual lens. The film is not simply a fantasy, it's a riveting mystery which poses questions without fully knowing the answers to them. Sameer himself is presented as a rationalist; a worldly man who doesn't believe in superstitions, cameos, let alone ghosts, but this incident throws him off balance and makes him question the very core of his convictions. Still, he goes to consult not some conning psychic but a professor of parapsychology. Above all, he is totally intrigued by this woman and aims to understand her motives. I believe the character of Sameer reflects in a way Gulzar, also the film's writer, who was perhaps as curious about the subject as Sameer appears to be.

In this sense, Lekin is an exploratory film as much as it is a delightful mystery romance. Despite its undeniable beauty, some viewers might find the film even a little disturbing both because of the analytical handling but also the harrowing story in the flashbacks. Since science can explain much of what is often rendered occult, thinking viewers observing Sameer's interactions with the ghost, are likely to feel there's some problem with him just like his friends in the film do, and that it is his sub-conscious that fills his sense of reality. You really feel for him and wish for his return into his own previous self. Lekin after all works more than anything as a great mystery offering rich cultural insight of the feudalistic system in India and the destructive nature of class hierarchy. As a character, Rewa, the unblinking ghost, is a sight to behold, and she is heart-touching just as she is enigmatic.

The acting is roundly excellent. Vinod Khanna is on top of his game, giving a wonderfully compassionate performance which isn't easy to etch out. Amjad Khan and Beena Banerjee are wonderful as his worried friends. A graceful Hema Malini gives a knock-out dance number and a nice conclusion in the last scene. Needless to say, it is Dimple Kapadia who gives the film its dramatic poignancy and ethereal tone in what emerges as a fascinating portrait of expectancy. Her presence alone conveys such a powerful sense of otherworldliness, but then those expressive eyes - they are haunting, and through that eager glimmer of melancholy they register such yearning and longing. That this film achieves its desired aura of magical mystery is mostly to her credit. Even in the musical numbers, there's incredible ardor in her convictions. She is unforgettable.

Hridaynath Mangeshkar's music gives life to the film, through its extraordinary melodies, brilliant lyrics and phenomenal visualisation on screen. The phenomenal musical numbers are topped by Lata Mangeshkar's otherworldly rendition of "Yaara Silli Silli", a piece of unmatched melodic, lyrical and instrumental harmony and, how not, one of the greatest vocal performances one can imagine. Indeed, without taking anything away from Gulzar's script, the acting, and the overall brilliance of Lekin, it is Lata Mangeshkar who is its ultimate winner. Lekin is one of the prime artistic achievements of her illustrious career, as far-reaching as it may sound considering she was the voice of a nation, whose lasting impact on Indian culture and the overall Indian experience remains unparalleled, and that she also happens to be one of the most prolific recording artists in history.

A few words then about Mangeshkar, who had decided to produce the film in order to have an opportunity to sing what her heart longed for. It's hardly surprising that the outcome is so good, as one can never expect less than sheer perfection from a paragon whose divine voice is a force of nature and one of the great wonders in the history of music. It is thus so fitting if not instantly obvious that she, a supernatural being in her life, is the one responsible for this supernatural film. Likewise, while she is no longer with us, her music lives on forever, making her immortal just like the film's premise suggests; her eternal presence in the hearts of millions totally matches the eternal essence that 'Lekin' encapsulates. The film is one gem of a movie, it is among the best works of Gulzar and Kapadia's careers, and today, more than ever, a tribute to Mangeshkar's enduring legacy.

This is a Hindi language film starring Vinod Khanna and Dimple Kapadia.

Technically you may categorise this as a horror film, and yet there are no scary scenes in the film. The film is definitely haunting, because it'll stay with you forever after you watch it. Brilliant story, direction and performances are the highlights of the film. The lyrics by Gulzar (who was also the director) and singing by Lata Mangeshkar (who was also the producer) won National awards. Vinod Khanna, Dimple Kapadia, Amjad Khan and Hema Malini are excellent in their roles - Vinod Khanna stands out! Set in the deserts of Rajasthan, Gulzar is at his best with his directorial skill - the story keeps moving while seeming slow, and doesn't feel boring at the least - instead keeps you intrigued until the end.

The film is about a government officer who has come to evaluate a palace in ruins. Strangely he able to connect and communicate with a spirit that is unknowingly stuck in time. How he goes about redeeming her and the challenges faced form the crux of the him. The questions and contradictions throughout including the end of the film justify the title.

A must-watch!

I think what makes this film great is its timeless music.Hridaynath Mangeshkar came up with a masterpiece with Lekin. The story provided the backdrop for a classical Hindustani-based music score and the result is a combination of hummable folk songs and classical numbers which are pure magic. The songs definitely add on to the story, but have such strong character themselves that they have their own identity even outside the film.

Asha Bhonsle's 'Jhoothe Naina Bole' is my personal favorite.The sting she manages to put in the song is unparalleled.The beautiful rendition by Asha does justice to the music and to the words.

So even if you do or do not manage to see this movie,do NOT miss the music, since that is bound to stay with you longer.

"Yaara Sili Sili Virah Ki Raat Ka Jalna"

'Lekin' is a movie best remembered for this timeless song by Lata Mangeshkar. Directed by Gulzar and produced by the nightingale of Bollywood herself (along with her Brother Hridyanath Mangeshkar, who also takes up the responsibility of composing music for the film), Lekin is the most 'hatke' theme attempted by Gulzar in his long and illustrious directorial career. It is a story that is mythical, rustic, and open to interpretations- like so many of the folktales that can be heard in villages abode to old monuments that act as a bridge between the past and the present. Starring Vinod Khanna and Dimple Kapadia in principal roles, Lekin is a story seeped in the culture of the most mystical part of our nation- Rajasthan.

Samir (Vinod Khanna) is sent to a non-descript village in Rajasthan to evaluate and classify the possessions of an old palace that was once owned by the king of that region, and the doors to which have not been opened since the past few decades. On the way he has a strange encounter with a gypsy woman (Dimple Kapadia). Not thinking too much about it, he reaches his destination where he discovers that his old friend Siddique (Amjad Khan) is now a collector. The very next day he starts his job in the old palace, but things take a strange turn when he meets the gypsy woman once again. Soon, a lot of things start happening thick and fast around Samir, of which he cannot make any sense at all. How Samir gets embroiled in the age old forgotten tale of the sandy ruins, and how his life gets hijacked by an apparition from the past, is what the movie is all about.

The movie is different not only in terms of its story, but also in terms of the way Gulzar has treated it. He very beautifully captures the mood of the 'lands of kings', and adds a stamp of authenticity in each and every frame of the narrative. He creates a world that sucks you into it, and involves just like a very well written and intriguing bit of poetry. There is suspense, but it is not hurried. Everything is languid, and each and every bit of the puzzle unfolds patiently. It appears that Gulzar wants the viewers to feel the restiveness, the confusion, and the curiosity that is haunting Samir. Also, in terms of its theme, Gulzar chooses a story could well have been converted into a tacky Ramsey affair, in the hands of a lesser and a more commercially inclined man. But Gulzar not only tells a story, he also raises a lot of questions about the paranormal, and the supernatural. Of course, the viewers are left to form their own interpretations through the course of the story, and also at the end of it all. It may all seem implausible, as it does to the protagonist initially, but then suddenly it may start making sense. Or rather, you would stop caring about its plausibility, and would just start to go with the flow of the proceedings (that is what happened with me). The only glitch is that this flow gets a little too slow in the middle of the movie- and that has led to it becoming a lengthy feature at around 160 min.

There are a lot of important characters in the story played by well known names of that time including Alok Nath and Vijayendra Ghatge. Hema Malini chips in with a very important cameo appearance. And like in most Gulzar movies, the music plays an additional character, one which often assumes more command and respect than the mere mortals on screen. That said, even the mortals aren't far behind in this feature, for both Vinod Khanna and Dimple Kapadia do a fabulous job. Dimple Kapadia looks ethereal, and talks more through her eyes than through her words. Amjad Khan (highly obese at the fag-end of his career) is efficient as the hero's best friend and confidante- and so is the actress who plays his wife.

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I was completely mesmerized by Lekin and especially by the castle and Dimple's haunting character who took over the screen whenever she materialized. It brought back memories of Ugetsu, one of my favorite Japanese films. The photography, the music, story, acting was all top notch and I am definitely going to have to see what else Gulzar did. The desert, itself, was as much a character as any of the actors.

I would have given Lekin a 10 but, since I do not know Hindi, I have to rely on subtitles and, periodically, the subtitles were a little hard to follow unless you are a speed reader. Also, my biggest gripe with a lot of great Hindi films is that they do not include the subtitles to the songs which was the case on my DVD. I was unable to see for myself why Gulzar won two awards for best lyrics that year. It was also frustrating because, when Dimple's character sang, I am almost certain that knowing the lyrics would have only added to the enjoyment of the film. I still gave Lekin a 9 but if anyone can tell me where I can easily find the lyrics, I would be very grateful.