Band Baaja Baaraat - Review

Sure, Band Baaja Baaraat is the same old story. The lead lady is a woman of essence, who takes on the world face up but you can't miss the gaping need for a man in her life. The male lead is yet another confused young man, who is a symbol of the talented but directionless youth. For newbies working together on a business, they hardly go through a struggle. Everything is laid out for her all too easily. YET you warm up to them. You feel a shimmer of happiness for them when they are together. You want to tell them off for being silly when they are fighting with each other. I detested Band Baaja Baaraat's overall escape to over-simplicity and I loved it for the slight details of an every-day relationship.

"falling in love" is beneath her, that's what regular girls do, not Shruti (Anushka Sharma). And yet, she savors special moments she has spent with her friend. She is modern and simple-minded. And yet, this doesn't come across as contradictory. Bittoo (Ranveer Singh) hasn't thought much about his aspirations. All he knows is he doesn't want to join his family business. Whatever keeps him away from that becomes his aspiration. Her rule for life becomes his rule, without a rhyme or reason. Because that's how he is. And things pretty much stay that way. She remains adamant and foolhardy. He doesn't budge from his foolish self. Their misunderstanding or bickering is commonplace in real life. Which is why, their actions and reactions are from your standard boy meets girl story, but they don't seem out of place.

The same simple-headedness mars the film too. The agonizing conflict in the film doesn't hit hard enough because the heavy "business" set-up. Business mixes with pleasure. The set-up is all about Shruti's business, but the conflict arises elsewhere. Yet, you are interested in what's going on because of some very witty dialogues delivered with just the attitude the characters are meant to portray.

Neither Anushka nor Ranveer have "screen presence". They could both look their best and deliver the most endearing lines, and I could very well be enjoying it without looking at them but observing the props in the background. And this works in their favor. Band Baaja Baaraat leaves a warm feeling without any overt stylization or grand charisma. In fact, Ranveer's pictures in the promo posters make him look like the roadside romeo, a girl would avoid looking at. And that's how he is in the film. Either this is perfect casting or a brilliant performance or ofcourse an intelligent blend of the two, only his next few films will tell. Though Anushka is a couple of movie old, this is her first one with no "star"-backup. A couple more roles where she has a role with substance like this one and I think we'll have something to look forward to every time she picks a script.

You hear of a movie titled Band Baaja Baaraat produced by the best marriage scene creators in the market, Yash Raj Films and apprehension builds into a cringe. You go into the theater expecting a garish set-up with an over-zealous background score. The first few scenes are of a texture so different from your expectations that you have no choice but to sit-up and notice. It's not gloss, it is the ruggedness of a street. The street is soon decorated but in an earthy, believable fashion. Are we seeing Yash Raj turn over a leaf in its hunky-dory, big, fat wedding environment? There is a glimpse. If not in anything else, in their new venture's awesome logo film.

(I tried to look it up but couldn’t find it. It plays before Band Baaja Baaraat starts. I'll update this space if I locate and leave me a link if you find it. Thanks!)