Isha Moktan

Kathmandu:

There are movies that move you so much that you’re left assessing it for days. Men think — ‘The Last Samurai’ and women something on the lines of ‘Cold Mountain’ or vice versa or both for both. Well whichever way, you get the point, right?

‘Shabd — the year’s biggest flop story’…Oops! The year’s biggest “love” story, supposedly. The biggest disaster after the tsunami is what I’d call it. Pathetic would be an understatement and I’m trying to be nice. The movie is an insult to the art of filmmaking and anyone who’s watched it or watches it would agree. In fact, those who haven’t watched it yet have made a wise move and I strongly recommend they keep it that way. What was debutante writer-director, Leena Yadav thinking, if she was thinking at all.

Read on and you’ll know why exactly you should save your money, time and energy on this one. Let’s start with the storyline or whatever came close to it, since there wasn’t any and then move on to the actors!

Shaukat (Sanjay Dutt) a spurned writer married to fashion-design lecturer, Antara (Aishwarya Rai) to get back at his critics decides to write a novel on “women”. Or at least that’s what he makes us (the audience) believe. But along the way his book, like the movie, seems to lose both sense of direction and the theme. Shaukat gets his wife to indulge in an extramarital affair with Yash (Zayed Khan) so that he can have a story. Shocking! And what is more shocking is that the woman agrees. At least, he has a motive behind his actions. What’s Antara’s alibi for agreeing? A 21st century, educated woman who is so devoted to her husband that she meekly agrees?

Shaukat seems to think he can control the life of his wife and her “aficionado” and thinks he can play God. Come reality check and he goes cuckoo. Literally! And then guess what? End of story! Yes, that’s it! Oh no wait, then Shaukat goes to a mental asylum — very prettily called Moksh Sanatorium — where Antara ball dances with him. But, where does Yash go? What becomes of him? No clue and I doubt if Yadav, herself knows.

Aishwarya Rai who, once upon a time, pledged not to do any “scenes” even if it were for a Hollywood movie, EVEN if the script called for it has suddenly had a change of heart and has come close to outdoing if not totally outdoing Mallika Sherawat’s “Bhigay Honth…” with her “Chahaton Ka Silsila”. Her reason, the script “called for it.” Oh really?! And just how, is what I’d love to know. Not that I have anything against her making out with her psycho husband (Sanjay Dutt) but double standards… heard of it? Apparently not! Her make up artiste is the only commendable aspect about her in this movie. Thus, resulting in her looking astoundingly beautiful.

Moving on to Sanjay Dutt. There is little that this actor can’t pull off but unfortunately, his role in ‘Shabd’ happens to be one of the little. He looks every bit the writer that he’s supposed to be but that’s it. It’s not that his acting skills are lacking but even the “bestest” of best actors can get lost in a script this vague.

Zayed Khan did himself and his fans proud with ‘Main Hoon Na’ and now he’s back to ‘Chura Liya Hai Tumne’ with ‘Shabd’. The poor soul is so lost and is a complete misfit for the role. His laughter is as fake as the cast he sports during the first half hour of his entrance. Zayed was seen crying after the premier of ‘Shabd’. Yes, I would too if I were him. Bad career move!

‘Shabd’ leaves you fumbling for words to describe the three hours of absurdity and irrationality it is. The songs would be the movies only saving grace but if only songs sold movies.

The theme of the movie is too abstract and if the movie were a painting, even Picasso would have been lost. If you think this line was vague, try ‘Shabd’.