Delhi-6: Film Review

Well, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has produced a masterpiece again! One of his earlier successful conceptions was Rang De Basanti. And it has been proved yet again that his bohemian thinking and socio-political themes work wonders. Set in the Chandni Chowk area of Delhi, the film, mainly, is a culmination of two stories of its lead characters.

Roshan (Abhishek Bachchan) is an NRI who comes to India to drop his grandma (Waheeda Rehman) as she wants to spend her last years and become one with the soil here. He is intrigued by the customs he witnesses in India, and more so, by the warmth of the intertwined relationships people share in their neighborhood. The other protagonist, Bittu, played by Sonam Kapoor is an aspiring Indian Idol who is hamstrung by her father (Om Puri) and old traditions prevalent in their house. The notorious Black Monkey, who made news a couple of years ago in Delhi also incurs interspersed mentions but remains in the perspective for a greater part of the movie.

Delhi -6 exhibits striking resemblance to Gowariker’s Swades. From an NRI coming back and rediscovering his roots to fall in love with the place and its people, to the lead girl trying to break free from societal customs and chasing her ambition, the two movies indeed have a similar setting. The Ram Leela sequences, albeit unnecessary, reinforce this similarity.

To be certain, Prasoon Joshi and Mehra have effectively portrayed all the vignettes in the first half. The communal harmony and brotherhood which initially prevail in the locality have been intentionally brought to the fore by Mehra. Moreover, the screenplay and the way the camera manoeuvres to capture some scenes is truly incredible. The story, nevertheless, becomes sluggish in the middle, clings on to the theme, and doesn’t seem to lose track until the end. However, the turnaround towards the climax is something which you could never have predicted, and indeed makes the film stand apart.

On the other hand, the story just remains an attempt to perfection. Abhishek’s put-on American accent feels like a spike in the flesh. In addition, unlike Swades, the story-tellers have failed miserably to strike good chemistry between Abhishek and Sonam, let alone intense. Besides, Amitabh’s cameo in the end is totally redundant and fatuous which could have been easily done away with.

Now comes the heart of Delhi-6: the music. All the songs are superlative compositions supplemented by brilliant lyrics and intense renditions. Although some of the songs don’t merge well with the flow of the script, those such as Genda Phool and Dil Gira Dafatan become only bearable to watch, thanks to the unique techno-rustic fusions. The ones that steal the show of course are Masakali, Rehna Tu and Arziyan, which are justifiably destined to be the audience’s favorites for a long time. The music, as a whole, commands a five star rating.

All in all, Delhi-6 is an out-of-the box and a worthwhile film to watch. Undeniably, after dog’s age, it is one of those sensible films which will make you think. So go grab some popcorn and enjoy your ride through the lanes of Delhi-6!