High on Heartaches

Film: Raanjhanaa

Director: Aanand L Rai

Made at a time when the theatres are filled with the fast-track generation, which believes in flings, keeping scores and moving on overnight, Aanand Rai’s Raanjhanaa is a reminder of a passionate time, when love could make or break lives. Coupled with AR Rahman’s soundtrack, the film is set to become a cult among those nursing the wounds of a broken heart.

The film begins with a broken and bruised Kundan (Dhanush) being rushed to hospital as he begins a first-hand narration of how he got here. We are then transported to Banaras where a nine-year-old Kundan, the son of a Hindu priest of Tamil origin (which explains Dhanush’s accented Hindi) falls in love with a Muslim girl, Zoya (Sonam Kapoor). After a lot of innocent stalking and the adolescent exchanges, Zoya is shipped off to Aligarh for studies. Kundan waits for her to return and is heart-broken when she finally does, with another man in her heart. Thus continues Kundan’s topsy-turvy journey of life where he is madly in love with a girl who will never love him back.

The second half of the film tends to wander about a little but the crux remains the same – a man who is willing to endure anything for the queen of his heart. Be it the uneducated slashing of wrists or the glorious ability to take her to the man she loves; the film narrates a fool-proof tragedy. Most of it touches you with the help of the crisp dialogues (by Himanshu Sharma), which cannot be separated from the emotion of the scene. “Yeh Banaras hai, agar launda yahaan bhi nahi jeeta toh kahaan jeetega” suggests a lot about a character that is determined to win and also highlights the vulnerability that exists in hope.

The South Indian accent is a minor distraction in an otherwise stud-like performance by newcomer Dhanush. Swara Bhaskar does a decent job in her role as Bindiya, a character which is an omnipresent sub-plot of a half-love. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub plays Kundan’s friend and gives a memorable performance as Murari. Sonam Kapoor is a little inconsistent and unlike Dhanush, her character’s growth doesn’t age with time as much as you would expect it to.

Rahman’s music lends a touch that elevates the film, but, most of the numbers instantly transport you to a Rahman song from his previous films. From the title track of Jaane Tu Yaa Jaane Naa to Kun Faya Kun and from Yuva to Swades the familiar sound is as big a distraction as Dhanush’s mispronounciations.

It is hard to sit through the film and not feel the emotions generating something inside of you. However, it would be a sad commentary on our times if Raanjhanaa, like Ek Duje Ke Liye is taken as a wrong message. Slashing of wrists is un-cool and even though the movie is good enough to be put on a pedestal, let this not be the one. If there is any lesson to be taken, it is that true love comes at a cost and only those willing to pay the cost should try their hands at it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Published in DNA (Pune) on June 22, 2013