Naach

There are movies and there are MOVIES. Similarly, there are Ramgopal Varma creations and then there is NAACH! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, NAACH is Varma's best work till date. Agreed, the story is weak, the proceedings not quite comprehensive and the climax(to put it mildly) unconvincing and rushed. But then, this movie is not about story or characters. It is about Ramgopal Varma and his style of film-making.

Varma has always defied the norms of Bollywood with his craft of the cinema. He refuses to crowd his movies with unnecessary song and dance routines, slapstick comedy, logic-defying action and most importantly, excessive melodrama. He doesn't play to the gallery at all! That is the reason why his 'SATYA' is still considered the most hard-hitting portrayal of the dark underbelly of the Mumbai underworld. His characters(SHOOL, AB TAK CHAPPAN) are just as believable and real as the person you cross roads with! His camera-work(KAUN, JUNGLE) is ever inventive and his editing(COMPANY), groundbreaking. And what is perhaps most surprising about this maverick film-maker is the frequency at which he keeps churning out movie after movie. And in doing so, he has created a niche audience for himself that waits for his films with earnestness! NAACH is Varma's tribute to this niche audience of his! Actually, NAACH is Varma's argument against all that is practiced in Bollywood which he would like to overthrow!

NAACH is artistic masturbation at its best! And I have always been for artistic masturbation. GAJAGAMINI is one of the most criminally ignored films! The best works of Goddard, Almodovar and Tarkowsky have flowed(no pun intended) from labours of artistic masturbation. NAACH is Varma fantasizing about his vision of cinematic splendor and justifying his style of cinema. Therefore, in this process of presenting an artistic argument, the story and characters become collateral! And hence, inconsequential!

NAACH then revolves around the lives of Abhinav(Abhishek Bachchan) and Reva(Antara Mali). Abhinav is a struggling actor and Reva an aspiring choreographer. Both intent on making it in the world of Bollywood. But their ideologies are different. Abhinav has no problems subscribing to the accepted to make his name, inspite of the fact that he resents formula cinema himself. Reva, on the other hand, wants to revolutionize the style of dance and music. Obviously, the idealist takes a long time to climb the ladder while the pragmatic reaches there instantly. But despite the success, Abhinav craves for the company of Reva. What Varma establishes here is the dormant yet inherent desire inside every actor to satisfy his creative and artistic urges that no amount of money and fame can satiate! In telling the stories of Abhinav and Reva, Varma also informs us about the machinery of Bollywood that governs what is produced and what is rebuked! Star-tantrums, artistic differences and egoistic upheavals determine the outcome of the final product. Reva(a play on Ramgopal Varma's initials- RV) is Varma's personification of his idea of beauty and cinema. Just as she defies the conventional style of dance, Varma uses her body to define grace. In fact, in every contour of her body, Varma shows us true beauty. So pure are his metaphorical references, that none of the scenes can be thought perverse. If people find this movie vulgar, then every sculpture at Khajuraho and Elephanta and every painting at Chola temples are vulgar too!

There is a scene in the movie when Ritesh Deshmukh tells Antara Mali that her ideas are ahead of her times. Ironically, so is this movie! NAACH is unlike any Varma movie, but it is about Varma movies! Go see it, and devour this large canvas of beauty!

Rating- *****

* Poor ** Average *** Good **** Very Good ***** Excellent

In most parts a lethally dull venture, Naach is about this dancer/choreographer (Antara Mali) who regards herself as some kind of auteur, beyond the petty commercial compromises that people around her, including her actor beau (Abhishek Bachchan) build their careers on. Nice idea, only it turns out that she has the most howlariously bad concepts about costumes and dance movements, stuff rotten enough to make even the forces behind those ultra-cheap South Indian potboilers squirm in severe embarrassment.

The story follows a yawn-inducing predictable pattern...dancer and beau meet and have an affair (yes, sex included)...beau gets success, but she spurns his attempts to help her...beau throws attitude and they walk out on each other...dancer meets a most unlikely director who wants her 'to do what she wants'...incongruous effort bags even more incongruous popularity...beau's attempts to reach out are rebuffed until a climax where he bursts out about how he can't live without her...D-uh end.

Actually I didn't really expect this film to be much good. So why did I watch it? Because I have an Antara Mali fetish. She's an actress with IMO sufficient talent to reach grand heights provided she has the opportunity. Alas, her role in the film looks far better on paper than in actual execution, ironic for a film that's supposed to be about an uncompromising character. To give her credit she puts in a game effort, shining well in the few scenes that actually ask of her as an actress. I just wish the movie had been more worthy of her. Abhishek Bachchan also throws in a few good punches, the last scene salvaged somewhat by a simmering turn which pleasantly reminds you of his father.

Only recommended if you can sit through humongous piles of dogcrap for the return of a few grains of good moments courtesy the lead actors.

Even if Naach doesn't stand a chance against the other 2004 Diwali releases, in it's own way, Naach is a decent fare. Ram Gopal Varma has again courageously attempted a completely different subject. Cinematography is fantastic, and Antra Mali's dance sequences have been shot brilliantly. I love almost all the songs in this album. The biggest flaw in this movie is that it doesn't really have a story. Even the little paragraph on the back of the DVD cover only describes the characters. The movie just attempts to develop the characters, which it does an excellent job. Antra Mali is coming in way too many films, and she is getting annoying. Abhishek has acted quite well. Ritesh Deshmukh was hard to recognize. He has also performed well.

RGV rocks with Naach. Naach is when two personalities meet - an individualistic and objective artist (dancer), Reva and an ambitious but succumbing actor, Abhinav. Reva wants to stamp her identity in her work. Abhi wants to be famous and rich although he realises that it makes him look foolish. Reva is sure; she is sure that she is right; she is sure that her way is the only way; so she is ready to wait for the world to bow down to her feet. Abhi is insecure. Abhi is pathetically in love with Reva because deep inside he desires to be what Reva is. Reva loves Abhi because he is among the few who know she is right.

If you have read Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead then you will find that Reva is a Howard Roark while Abhi is almost a Peter Keating!

Naach is a must watch – for its choreography, for its camera, its writing – which is minimalist, and the performance of the actors. The effort RGV puts into making the characters credible is praiseworthy. You will have no problems believing that there are people like these. The movie keeps you restless throughout the movie, an RGV trademark.

Some people will go to the theaters for Antara's skin, but the once who have seen enough skin and muscle in their lives will be able to tear through the distorting mesh and enjoy the movie at a higher level.

The negative to the movie is its music – not very good music for a musical. The music was experimental, as it should be, but wasn't experimental enough.

The humour comes in the form of spoofs and sarcastic takes on Bollywood and it's so called Gurus.

This movie does rock.

Naach A more detailed review can be obtained anywhere else in the web. This one is a good portrayal, although I do not agree with it entirely. Taran is a commercial guy and hence views from his angle only.

Ram Gopal Varma (RGV, seems like a political party) has created a marvel in Rangeela, so this one seems like a pale reflection of that one in some parts... I'm not even going to compare Urmila and Anthara.. both are good! The former has better acting talent, although the latter is catching up nicely.

Anyways, I like Anthara's character. She is true to her art, not touched by any unnecessary emotion and definitely not too practical. She is a dance scientist, actually she is so sure of her theories that even comparing her to a scientist would offend her. Hey.. Donald Trump.. maybe you gotta ditch Melania, here is Anthara and you've already built a Taj Mahal... ain't this easy? Abhishek on the other hand is a practical fellow, who wants money, power, fame, etc. Hence these two albeit were struggling to get a break into the film industry, cannot get along, given their different styles and approach to life. This is very typical, but what I like about the movie is that it says what an Abhimaan would say in its total runtime, in one scene! What's new? This movie takes a different angle to the film industry and how different people get into it. There is always something different about RGV's movies, this one is different too, it is way too slow for his standards. In parts, it drags one almost to sleep.

Noticeable It is tough to notice anything other than Anthara in the first half of the movie. I think this skin show was necessary for the dance sequences involved :-) Also, looks like Anthara is a pro in Yoga, she is way too flexible, almost like a Prabhu Devi. Aby Baby is improving as an actor with every movie. I am sure his filmstar blood is paying off rich dividends. The title song was really good, the music overall was above average.