Akaash Vani

The experience of watching AKAASH VANI gave me enough to think or write upon after a long time since BOL (2011). Though the film is not a masterpiece if you analyze it in cinematic terms, but on the basis of its subject and execution it strongly makes you question our own Indian social structure and WE The People accepting it blindly to maintain our so called social image in front of the others.

The Review Promoted as a pure romantic film with a commercial angle, AV starts off well on a lighter note with the girl Nusrat (Vaani) impressing you right away more than the boy Kartik (Akaash). The word love is written on the screen from its first frame itself and their entertaining, likable romance draws you in till the intermission. Director Luv Ranjankeeps it realistic as seen in his PYAR KA PUNCHNAMA and that's the reason why the love story wins over the viewer reminding them of all those soft romantic films before the 90s. But the story doesn't progress much in the first half and the twist is just revealed before the intermission.

In the second half, it surprises you with something very important & relevant, revealing an ugly truth of our society dealing with Arranged Marriage, Love Marriage and Marital Rape. Despite of its slow progression and few dragging moments the narration doesn't lose its grip mainly due to the brilliantly written dialogues by the director Luv himself and some splendid performances by the entire cast.

For instance, you can easily feel the pain when Vaani says to Akaash, "Yahan Jab Tak Shareer Par Nishaan Na Ho……., Koi Maanta Nahin Hai!" or when she calmly answers her father that, "Aapke Kaaran Mujhe Kya Kya Sehna Parha Hai……, Woh Main Aapko Bata Bhi Nahin Sakti"

Further the tense moments in this better half are handled well by the cinematographer too which forces you to give your full attention to what the characters are willing to portray, keeping the interest alive throughout.

However watching a marital rape on the screen is not anything usual or amusing and thus the team surely deserves all the praises to bring up this hidden truth in a Hindi Film in such a subtle manner, which has been rarely done by others in the 100 years of Indian Cinema. In fact in the recent times I remember a film called MITTAL VS MITTAL(2010) taking up this issue as a cheap sexual gimmick to sell itself in the market and then another classic made on a related issue called MATRUBHUMI (2005) which also is a not to be missed gem without any doubt.

The shocking drama in the script gets its full support from the performers and it's a Nusrat's film all the way wherein the girl even reminded me of veterans such as Madhuri Dixit in her difficult scenes of emotional pain and outburst. Kartik supports her well with confidence but the subject basically revolves around Nusrat's life and the trauma she is forced into by her own family. Along with the cute lead pair the director has very carefully chosen his supporting cast in which everyone has lived his or her role impressively especially the actors playing the couple's friends. So we have a great emotional & important film here conceived and performed well following a decent vision.

As an essential requirement of a sensible love story, AV also has a fabulous soundtrack featuring 4 great songs with highly poetic & meaningful lyrics penned by the director Luv Ranjan himself again. Both the tracks and background score have been composed & arranged intelligently by Hitesk Sonik and I really wish the soundtrack was promoted more by the makers to reach their real listeners. The 4 worth listening songs are Ittefaq Tha Ek Mazaak Tha, Roomani, Bas Main Aur Tu and Tere Pyar Mein which have great lyrics reminding you of the famous GULZARISM loved and appreciated widely. For instance sample these few lines from one of its great songs,

"Soch Kar Main Jisko Hass Leta Hun, Ittefaaq Tha....., Ek Mazaaq Tha....., Tere Mera Naam! Tere Hi Pher Mein……..Boodhe Ek Pedh Pe, Kuchh Lakeerein Kheench Di Thi Do Din Bhi Na Rahey Un Kharonchon Ke Nishan.......! Ittefaaq Tha....., Ek Mazaaq Tha....., Tere Mera Naam!

Hence with a fresh breezy first half and an intense thought provoking second one AKAASH VANI can easily be called an important & well made project by the multi talented Luv Ranjan who undoubtedly has got the vision to give us something different and valuable. The film needs to be shown to every youngster above 18 as a mandatory clause and then a Q & A session should be held in colleges taking up the 3 issues discussed ahead in the other section of this article. On a concluding note, we definitely need more films like this as our wake-up call and the youngsters need to watch it in the theater to encourage its visionary makers.

Such good potrayal of real social problem prevailing in our society. Life need to be celebrated not suffocated.

Before going for this movie I casually asked one of my friend if this is going to be another long romantic 'Notebook' type melodrama. Well he wasn't sure and a few hours later I was more sure of it. Lets not compare the two since the stories and setup is very distinct. It all started very promising with seniors asking the two main characters propose each other on their first day at college. Even after that it had some lively scenes involving the two protagonist like the the laundry room scene which actually got me all excited about it's prospects. I was even cracking up hearing some insanely good dialogues which were well accommodated with the movie feel. But these moments of magical experience were somewhat like beep sound in a family show on TV.

The first thing that really irked the hell out of me and this might be personal choice is the use of so much colour. It was like someone was bombarding colour balloons on the screen from behind. The clothes, mufflers, furniture even the walls had different colours, ghastly!!. The movie is also splayed with many still moments of hammy romance. I can watch Pacino or Aamir Khan eye his villain for any amount of time but replace the setting and mood with two good looking characters (hardly) emoting their love to each other, I perhaps will got to sleep in the next few seconds. I know that some of you aficionados of romantic movies will tell me that I am drunk and for my own convenience should go home and read Shakespeare. I get it, but that doesn't rule out the fact that the movie became quite lethargic after the first hour. It had it's moments but compared to the many dull moments I had to sit through, it was testing my patience.

The movie in fact imbibes very noble message, but it finds it difficult to carry the good along with it. The editing in this movie is very poor, it could have been easily a 2 hour movie. The songs and music is below par but bearable. Moving on to the cast, the two actors share a deep chemistry after their known first film. Nushrat Bharucha is superb in showing her skills throughout the movie. In another world this would have been a tailor-made female centric movie, hers to take. Kartik Tiwari does great initially with some lively moments but I have doubts when it comes to serious scenes. Luv Ranjan may have hit a homerun with Pyar ka Punchnama but in this movie, he falls short.

I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like mushy romantics, others can take their chances if you have nothing to do.

If not awesome, i will call this movie an almost successful attempt of pointing out the problems of small town lovers. Just to make things clear, a small town love is way different that what we know about growing up in cities. And the lovebirds there are more of love-fugitives. Coming back to the movie, it starts well with college romance with some kool dialogue sequences. Then we have the on-the-verge-of-growing-up decisions. And then we have the dramatic outcome of the decisions. and an OK ending after an expected climax. These points used to be enough for movies to be a blockbuster. But wait, who is talking about 70s here. Movie is just OK for people who understands and have been in love. But on the other hand, it can be a disaster to one who does not give it a thought. I will still give it an 8 for the story and some nice tunes. Alert, you may fall asleep several times if you are not that into love and all those stuffs. ;)

Very very nice movie. A nice depiction of what happens when two people don't blend in a marriage. This is the story of so many girls who compromise everything for happiness of family and in the process, they tend to lose their individuality, their freedom, their happiness. It is not really supply words but emotions, affections speaks it all. i love the story.... it is amazing!!!!

Akaash and Vani fall in love with each other and continue a 4-year relationship. As their final year comes to an end, Akaash decides to go to UK for his further studies. Vani returns to Dehradun to attend her sister's wedding from where all the bad times start.