Aisha - Review

Should I be happy that Aisha is all about a woman (Sonam Kapoor) and has a capable actor like Abhay Deol play second fiddle? Or should I be disappointed that the only thing Sonam Kapoor's character finds pleasure in doing is to look up a man for every female character to hook up with?

Should the director be happy that she managed to achieve the "Hollywood chick-flick" effect? Or should she be disappointed only how far she could get?

While I could take both sides on each of these issues, I'm sure of two things - I'm certainly happy for the subtle comments made, especially the ones on the battle of the sexes. But I'm equally disappointed that these were done randomly with no connection to story or characterizations thus far. So much so that, all the depth, the film could have taken a plunge into, seems frivolous and flaky.

To express exactly where the superficial feel comes from, I can just say that 'look and feel'-wise Aisha had done complete justice to its inspirations - Sex and the City, Hannah Montana, and the likes. Ok, I'm not going to count how many toes I've stepped on, but usually society upward of upper middle class is, by definition, stereotyped by superficiality. That, in itself, takes the characters away a level or two from us.

It's not that problems, of people who have moved up in the Maslow's theory of need pyramid, are not genuine problems or should be belittled based on a general moral principle. Who are we to judge that one's problems are more serious than the others'. But, my problem (you are free to judge how important it is) is that films like these trivialize the otherwise weighted issues. It's like taking away from the subject of the film.

All this analysis might make you think that Aisha has some serious stuff going on. Naah. I'm just commenting on what could have been, especially given the light vein the entire film maintains. Serious issue, subtle humor - rarely fails. But every once in a while a major character in the film does something so totally out of the blue. The shocker is not something that doesn't feel real, it is just that most of us would say or do something like that with some sort of a history and not just because THE writer felt like it.

Also, all the trump cards were in the director's hands. It wouldn't come as a shock to anyone if Sonam Kapoor actually lives a lifestyle like Aisha's. Maybe a little less of a meddler, but for most parts she has to behave like a kid who can't be bothered with credit card bills and such. SO, not much acting involved there. Would anyone argue that easy-going, Arjun is a stroll in the park for Abhay Deol? Ira Dubey was a pleasant watch too.

It won't come as a surprise if most men will come out flaring at the women who got them in the theater. And many women might find it 'not bad'. At least, they saw some funky costumes. Me? Well, I wanted to love it, but didn't come out hating it either. The picturization of the lovely songs itself were enough to get me by.