Venue: PVR Plaza, CP

We have discussed on earlier occasions the new age parallel cinema that is replete with smart storyline, innovative script and great cinematography. Further, unlike “art films” of the 80s, the contemporary parallel cinema does not compromise on the glamor quotient, a unique characteristic of Bollywood.  Given that this genre of cinema does not target just the intellect driven audience but also the regular multiplex goer, perhaps it is not so parallel anymore. Maybe “alternate cinema” is a more suitable nomenclature. And in this present surge of such films (we have recently watched “Bombay Talkies” and “Ship of Theseus”) “Shudh Desi Romance” – directed by Maneesh Sharma – brings about a twist in the age old formula of guy love girl.

Commitment phobic Raghu Ram (Sushant Singh) and Gayatri (Parineeti Chopra) bump into each other in Jaipur and this rom-com is all about will-they–won’t-they tie the knot. To add to their confusion they need to reckon with Taara (Vani Kapoor) – Raghu’s fiancée.
We loved the movie because of the following reasons:

1. The fresh new team of actors combined with the veteran Rishi Kapoor in a comic act
2. After the stellar images of Benares in “Ranjhana”, still fresh in our mind, the beautiful picturization of Jaipur.
3. Attention to details – e.g. Gayatri, a single girl with limited resources, drinking water out of a Rooh Afzah bottle – this adds to the small town feel.
4. The heroines are not “Sati Savitris”. They represent girls of today who are amenable to having premarital consensual sex without any commitment toward marriage.
5. The film, playfully, draws attention to a taboo / debate in the Indian society – marriage vs live-in relationships.
6. The climax is very “moral of the story” but not preachy and predictable.
7. The stylish poster with hand painted images and a kitschy feel.
8. The impressive stylization of the overall film – the contemporary look created with Indian accents.

Need we say more?
It was heartening to see an almost full house on a week evening. It is evident that this genre of cinema is here to stay. With “The Lunchbox” releasing this week, the party never ends.

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