Diários de Mumbai

I dunno why people here have been giving this such bad reviews. I understand this movie is the typical bollywood movie, but that does NOT make it a bad movie. I know many Aamir Khan fans who went to see the film were probably disappointed as it is not like his usual films...

I have always enjoyed his work and I think this movie has a LOT more to offer than Aamir Khan. The others actors were INCREDIBLE, and it's amazing that they are just ordinary people. Maybe that's why there were, because in a lot of ways, Mumbai Diaries is about every day life.

Kriti (the girl who plays Yasmin) was amazing. I laughed when she laughed and cried when she didn't. I LOVE the way her part was incorporated in the movie and that credit goes to Kiran Rao. Which brings me to my next point. I think Kiran did a wonderful job with this film, and I actually don't see how people could criticize her just because her husband is Aamir.

The story lines were written beautifully. Each story had depth and meaning. Every one meant something to one another, but there was no place for them in the each others lives.

Munna's character is so endearing and sweet, he makes you fall in love with him from the first scene. And Shai's performance leaves you wanting more. She plays the international girl perfectly, and being a bit of an 'outsider' myself, I know exactly how it is going back to your roots. Shai had it down pat. Yasmin, again, I think for me..was the best character. I loved her from the very beginning. She was innocent and happy and almost child-like, you couldn't help but love her...Aamir was like always, brilliant. The guy's talented as the world knows.

This film is not you average Indian movie, but it is a beautiful piece of work and truly captures your attention. Not once was I bored or wondered when the movie would end. Yes it had it had some flaws, main one being the cursing...for some reason that made me laugh. I felt it didn't really go with the situation, and was a bit forced. Other than that, kudos to the whole team for creating this movie.

Numbers and 'hit'/'flop' status does NOT make a movie a 'good' movie...every one is different and has their own opinions. For me, this was a great movie. :) Def one of my favourites.

We are at an art gallery in a painting exhibition. Appropriately low key. City is Mumbai. Kitu Gidwani is manager of the whole thing and announces artist decided to make an appearance and should say a few words. Artist Arun (Aamir Khan) is visibly reluctant presence facing the crowd or art-lovers whatever says in man-of-few-words fashion that it's a tribute to people from different states and raises a toast to Mumbai, "To my muse, my whore, my beloved…."

Kiran Rao's debut film also a tribute to this bustling city of millions where four characters randomly run into each others' lives and make an impact. Like us meeting people and our story meets their story, vice- versa and streams go on. At the same gallery amongst the attendant an American NRI on sabbatical Shai (easily find of the year, inspired casting) meets Arun. Art talk, smoke, alcohol mix well. Fingers touch, so does the bodies. But the night-after ends badly because of Arun being asshole finding it difficult to say simple words 'not looking for something serious'.

There is a dhobi guy Munna (Pratiek, natural brilliant) who Shai befriends. She from another world treats him well, equal, goes to street photography with him to Nagapada, Machali market etc which is of course local to him. This boy, a wannabe actor (Salmaan being his idol) falls for the girl of course in the course, but never crosses his boundaries. They belong to different worlds (for society different classes) he and she both knows. Their odd, tender love-story or story, unsullied, forms the core of the Dhobi Ghat for me. There is definite chemistry between them. But never spoken of. Captured in gestures. Stolen yearning glances. Half chances. Even obvious finale burst out is still with no words. There is a beautiful night scene shot in rain where Shai and Munna have a drink at her place, later she falls asleep, air is electric, boy is tempted, leans for a kiss, backs out at final moment, leaves.

Meanwhile on other thread Arun looking for inspiration changing homes stumbles into few video tapes, sort of video letters of a recently married and migrated girl previous tenant of the flat Arun is living. Her name is Yasmeen (Kirti) and tapes are addressed to her brother back in her home town describing city from her eyes. He is hooked, possessed by these tapes, like porn her manager taunts. We don't blame him. Scenes in these tapes are almost poetic. We literally see how innocence is crushed in this endless city which swallows, sees everything from great successes, glamour to horrors of the fate, people.

All the principal characters are kind of chasing other. Munna chasing Shai, Shai-Arun, Arun-Yasmeen and Yasmeen her dream in city (which is fifth character in the movie). We go after things most try to attract us, evade us. And it's city like this which can shelter such diverse characters with desires, caution secrets, waiting to be discovered, fulfilled, hurt.

Lensed on slick, clean canvas and dream background scored by Gustavo Santaolalla movie is shot guerrilla-style on location minimalist approach, low on budget, rich in content. In this character driven piece ninety six minutes no interval (finally nice to see some arts winning over commerce) eventually everyone will get some kind of closure or otherwise. Just like in real life. Their stories are scripted like in a diary, aptly titled Mumbai diaries told soulfully by its sensitive director. Lovely.

I'm not myself such a big fan of this kind of film, I don't plan on buying the Dhobi Ghat DVD, but I nevertheless give a 9/10 because the movie deserves it. There are writing and technical achievements that you can't take away from the film, even if it didn't appeal to you.

The first great achievement of this film is its screenplay, written by Kiran Rao. The danger for a mosaic movie is to have its story drift endlessly or split in too many branches. It's not the case in Dhobi Ghat, and on the contrary it keeps a strong core around which the various characters and stories revolve. What is this core? The city of Mumbai of course, the 5th character of the movie, as the director claims... but not only.

The English title of the movie, Mumbai Diaries, could also have been "Mumbai Visions". Yasmin makes video recordings of Mumbai as she discovers the city. Shai wants to photograph the real Mumbai. Munna creates another self through Shai's camera, to reach the filmi scene of Mumbai. Arun gets his inspiration by watching the city, or watching the city as seen by Yasmin. One scene I really appreciated is Shai unnoticed taking pictures of Arun watching Yasmin's recordings. So, instead of just having the characters wander in Mumbai, the core of the movie is the sights the city impresses on its inhabitants and our protagonists.

The next achievement of Dhobi Ghat is its direction: refined, subtle, it delivers sights of Mumbai in a very intimate way. It's completely appropriate for the screenplay (well, logical, since both story and shooting are from Kiran Rao), and probably helps us rapidly feel close to the characters. I particularly liked all the scenes recorded by Yasmin, featuring small everyday events, but yet really meaningful and emotional. But it's also a strong technical direction, as is enough to prove it that scene where Munna runs in the middle of Mumbai chaotic traffic. A real moment of cinema.

To finish, the third good point of the film is its cast. Aamir Khan is flawless, as usual, though in the rather unusual role for him of a loner (he's done that kind of roles before, but not very often). Kriti Malhotra is a particularly moving and very beautiful Yasmin, Prateik Babbar excels in the role of the shy Munna, and Monica Dogra plays very naturally the modern American-Indian Shai.

The only thing I liked less in Dhobi Ghat is its end, a bit too open to my taste. But that's very subjective and on the whole the film deserves praise for its coherence, its sensibility and its artistic direction. I would call it a must-see.

P.S: People who hated it must only be used to watching Masala stuff. Seriously, the movie can appeal to a large audience, it's not AT ALL an obscure art movie that could appeal only to a very small fringe of audience...

Lo and behold, there's a new talent on the director's chair. Take a bow, Kiran Rao, this is one of the best directorial debuts ever.

Dhobhi Ghat is a scholar's (Kiran Rao) dedication to its muse (Mumbai). A savoury ode to one's fetishes. A philosopher's view of the contradictions of our civilization. And a guiltless acceptance of one's harmless pursuits. There is no scepticism in Rao's love for the city. It's pure and unconditional. That is why she chose "Dil tadap tadap ke keh raha hai aa bhi ja" as the song to describe her feelings.

He meets her, she meets him and he meets Yasmin. There's no beginning. There's no end. There's a journey that goes, ripping the obstacles around it, while walking, sipping a cuppa tea, smelling the fragrance of flowers and hacking the caustic forces in form of cruel changes before they suck our passion.

The editor's chopping table called for a sacrifice; as a result, the fifth character, that of the labourer, went away. One may call it a mistake, but perhaps it was influenced by the ruthless impatience of today's young breed.

We all know Prateik had talent. We all saw how he turned an unlikeable introvert from Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na into a lovable character. This time he submits himself to his character of Munna, a ghetto boy. Never do you feel that he is the MTV-watching yuppie. The ode to Salman Khan, the Khan of all seasons, is a masterstroke. How could Munna be a fan of anyone else, other than the 'Bhaijaan' of the Hindi film industry? Monica Dogra is impressive. She underplays herself so well. We need to see more of her. Kirti Malhotra (Yasmin) is a talent to watch out for.

Now on to the biggie: Aamir Khan. He is the only mainstream actor, a man of the classes and the masses, who'd have the guts to be a part of a cinema like this where he is basically a supporting character, free from any starry traits. This character is the opposite of what he played in Ghajini. There he played it to the gallery with aplomb. Here he's restrained, virtually immersed in the background. He talks less, thinks more. For those not used to subtle acting, this performance of Aamir warrants a repetitive viewing to get the notes correctly.

Here lies a cathartic passion of finding one's inner-self in Mumbai Diaries. In many ways, it's a kind of a love story where one doesn't realises that one is in love till years go by -- an unchanging soul of one's life. It grows on you like a fine malt.

First of all this movie will not appeal the regular Hindi movie audiences who would like to see a hero and a heroine and a romanticism growing with elements of beautiful songs and music. Sorry guys, this is not for you. It will appear tremendously boring for those (Most of the reviews will tell the story).

Just change the setting and location, this movie will become a Hollywood movie (Art Type). There is no hero or heroine in the movie. It is a tale of 4 people, their lifestyle, and Mumbai's rapidly disappearing living history. The idea of the movie is little ahead of the regular audiences.

If you are into Art Films, watch this and enjoy every bits and pieces. If you do not understand art, please never try to watch this movie.