I picked up this film sometime in the last week when I was feeling down. I just wanted a film that I could sit back and watch without thinking too much. In this respect at least, Aaja Nachle did not disappoint me.
Prior to the release, I had been extremely curious about this film. It’s been directed by Anil Mehta, the cinematographer of Hum Dil De Chuke Hain Sanam and Lagaan. As it happens, I have great regard for Anil’s work.
Now, having seen the film, if I were to sum it up in a sentence, I would say…like many average Hindi cinema productions – nothing exceptional, nothing spectacular… Yet, with moments of laughter and pathos. It’s clearly a film for small town India.
So why did this very average production fail in small towns, where other equally average Bollywood productions have succeeded?
I found myself in an interesting discussion with NG & M on this very question over a cup of tea this evening.
Here are some of the things that we could think of…
1. Unlike other films that tell the story of teams coming together to turn the tide (read Lagaan and Chak De India), Aaja Nachle did not invoke the twin mantra of patriotism or national pride.
2. A woman protagonist just would not work in small town India (and on second thoughts, neither would a chick flick).
3. Not enough romance.
4. There was not enough of Madhuri the dancer… And so Madhuri’s traditional hooting “Gandhi class” audience felt cheated of their ek do teen girl
From a production perspective, the second part of the film could have been helped with tighter editing. Finally, in retrospect, the film could also have been marketed better.
Yet, I find that I continue to look forward to more productions from Anil Mehta. Aaja Nachle still scores highly for me at the concept level. Anil has got his blending of laughter and tears right as well.
All that is lacking is an understanding of the required ingredients for commercial success in Bollywood.
With fresh concepts and the ability to blend pathos into a film already coming together effectively in Anil’s work, I believe that it’s only a question of time before he packs in the right ingredients as well.
5 Comments
August 10, 2008 at 12:13 am
I wish I could have watched this movie with my disbelief button turned off. I just could not get past the fact that despite the stage set being ruined the entire show goes on the next day with a world class stage. And that entire laila-majnun thing- I just kept wondering how much the clothes cost and the lighting. Geesh. It looks like Yash Raj films have gotten into the business of ‘feel good films with expected endings’.
And I would have definitely liked to have seen more of Madhuri.
August 10, 2008 at 4:12 am
Absolutely!
August 11, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Your first point…did you mean ‘did not invoke’? I got confused for a moment and read the sentence again to see what you were trying to say.
I haven’t seen this film, so no comments, but yours is probably the only positive feedback I have read about this film so that makes it worth considering!!
August 18, 2008 at 9:43 am
The choreographer of the movie was Vaibhavi Merchant. She has her strengths but i guess Saroj Khan and Madhuri as a pair create magic!
August 18, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Hey Andy… Think you got me wrong… This is not a positive review…
Aaja Nachle is an average film… I am just trying to understand why some average films succeed and others fail.
Am also saying that though Anil Mehta has made an average film… I still see potential for greatness in the small things that are a part of his work