So, I saw That Film That Started With S, and it was awesome despite the whole “mobile phone confiscation, no idea where you’re going” thing.
Here’s what I told Lisa about it.
Saawariya is certainly not a film to see at home. A feast for the senses, it explodes off the screen in a riot of colour and sound that’s as enthralling as it is entertaining.
Raj (Ranbir Kapoor, naively exuberant and utterly endearing) has just moved to Old Town to seek fame and fortune as a singer. His first encounters are with the ladies of the night, specifically with Gulabjee, something of a street princess (Rani Mukherjee, beautiful and cynical). She nicknames him Saarwariya after his signature song and helps him find housing with Miss Disa, a lonely old lady whose son left her alone more than thirty years ago.
Raj comes into Old Town like a ray of light, bringing innocent, simple happiness to everyone he meets. He plays soccer with the women of the street, trades ridiculous barbs with Miss Disa until she cracks and starts to regard him as a son, and even manages to break through Gulabjee’s world-weariness. He takes everyone on their own merits, offering no judgements and spreading joy wherever he treads.
One night he meets Sakina (Sonam Kapoor) on a bridge in the rain. She is crying, and he expends considerable energy trying to cheer her up. They become friends, and eventually Sakina reveals to a lovestruck Raj that she is waiting for Imaan (Salman Khan, a renowned bad boy and complete contrast to Raj), her betrothed, to return for her. Raj is heartbroken, and the rest of the film concerns his attempts to win her heart. The resolution is happy and sad at the same time, and it’s quite poignant to watch Raj try to remain his happy-go-lucky self, offering hope to others as his is systematically stripped away by Sakina’s ongoing indifference.
Of course, the plot is just the bare bones of the film. There is light and laughter, song and dance. Long shots of the town are computer-generated, which heightens the fairy-tale feel of the film. The town itself, set on a canal, is absolutely beautiful. Everything is ornately detailed, and the colours are rich and vibrant.
The audience I saw the film with (all more knowledgeable about Bollywood films than I) loved it. More than seeing a film, I felt like I was at an event. There was an interval, and the crowd applauded at the halfway point as well as at the end. Two guys leaving for refreshments during the break high-fived over how awesome they were finding the film.
There’s nothing new about the way the plot plays out, but it’s compelling nevertheless. Gulabjee, the narrator and most compelling character, deserved more of a story arc, and Sakina is perhaps a little too self-absorbed to be totally relatable as a heroine, but Raj is irresistible. Ranbir Kapoor’s portrayal carries the film, managing to add layers to a character who could have been one-dimensionally naïve.
I defy anyone who sees Saarwariya in a cinema not to get caught up in the film, not so much for the story, but for the spectacle. I have to confess, though: I am a sucker for a good love story, and this fits the bill nicely.
