Parineeta…

“Shall we go watch Parineeta?”
“Are you sure we can make it?”
“Chal, jaldi jaate hain!”

Parineeta begins well enough. The opening shots give a nice view of Kolkata in our own Aby baby’s baritone. Isn’t it time we got others to do voice-overs? That gravelly tone is kinda overdone, I feel. Om Puri, Prashant Nambiar, Suresh Oberoi… come on, give the big B a break. Anyways, then on the film tends to drag a bit. Pradeep Sarkar has roped in some very familiar faces. I think many of them have featured in his Euphoria videos. Most of them act as if they are on stage; the loud tones, the exaggerated expressions etc. On one level, the film reminds me of Devdas. The protagonist: arrogant, somewhat wimpish, stylish, artistic… spoilt! The villain of the piece, the hero’s Dad: pompous, small-minded, mean. The heroine: apple of everyone’s eye, the sarvajanik darling, the best cook, the nice girl, the childhood pal… Blah. Rekha does an olde-worlde night club number. Dia Mirza has a small and forgettable role. Vidya Balan looks like she has a background in classical dance; her expressions are that dramatic! The rolling eyes, the raised eyebrows… Chhota Nawab has done better work in the past. This film was so-so as far his performance was concerned. Sanjay Dutt has some element of normalcy in the film; the only guy who appears real! Rest everything is passe. Plus a blooper: The song Sar jo tera chakraye from Pyaasa wasn’t released in 1932, was it? I bet not!

If I hadn’t been there, Pinch would have walked out in the first half itself… The film was a disappointment.