29 Aug 09

1

Review - Kisaan: has domestic squabbles too!

It's interesting that despite having the run-of-the-mill two-brothers-differ-in-attitude storyline, Kisaan manages to spring a couple of surprises. Despite having the masala elements, it manages to bring in a couple of tragedies.

A family is torn apart by the distance between the village and the city. Physical, emotional, financial, etc. Education within agricultural background. But, the silly jokes stereotyping the city-citizens' arrogance and the villagers' ignorance get tiring. One brother's naïveté and the other brother's love for violence gets a bit too convenient to aid in wrapping up the film. Letting misunderstandings brew, being blind to manipulation is one's forte. And the other and his enemy just like snapping off anyone who offends them. And yet there are some interesting turns. But again, the climax is extremely handy. Very simplistic. Ultra-hurried.

None of the characters are complex enough to require any great performance from anyone. So, from Jackie Shroff to the Khan brothers to Dia Mirza they all just run through the mechanics. Whether or not any of them are capable or not, is another question all together.

And yet amongst three men in the lead roles, Dia Mirza's character Priya has a role of some minimal substance. But everything from this to the main plot seems very superficial and cursory.

I cannot leave this place without mentioning how annoying the background music was. People, just because it's Punjab you don't need a few hundred extra dholak-wallas in the orchestra!

It's a debate. Whether to applaud the unpredictability they've attempted and partially succeeded at. Or to hate the predictability when they do the clichés. Had they done something more spectacular with the unexpected turn of events, it might have been worth a try. And since that's missing, there isn't anything I can ask you to look forward to.

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