Review: Chameli (2004)

Cast: Kareena Kapoor, Rahul Bose
Director: Anant Balani
Stars: 4/5 Stars ****

Chameli starring Kareena Kapoor is an intriguing new-wave movie, its older and has technologies that may now seem outdated, but there are a lot of reasons why it works - it brought newer ideas and concepts to Indian and international cinema, and it told a captivating story with a traditional Bollywood ending. I could dare to go ahead and compare it to the Elizabeth Taylor starrer "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" for extremely obvious reasons.

The STORYLINE contains minimalistic characters (however, it is a Bollywood movie and cannot help itself from gaining unnecessary extras) - Kapoor as Chameli the prostitute and Bose as a depressed businessman get trapped under a shaded sideway on a stormy night. A hopeful Kapoor continuously tries her luck with apparent goody-two shoes Bose, who constantly refuses - until curiosity kills both parties' contempt towards each other and conversations start. Cigarettes fill the forming friendship as Kapoor smokes away her troubles and Bose witnesses the life and times of the downtrodden; while constantly interfering to try and protect the fierce Chameli who in turn keeps saving his interfering ass.

Things slowly take a turn for the worse as Chameli's routine continues and Bose is harassed by the third world with only Chameli to guide him through - however the slightly insane Kapoor seems upbeat about everything including her horrifying potty mouth, with continues giggles and narrations. Guests keep entering and exiting the scene sometimes adding to the plot, sometimes to the characters. The first few entrants is Chameli's boy undertaking - where the more humane side to the prostitute is shown (for obvious matter of convenience and possible liking from the audience) through her charity. A prostitute is earning to save money for a younger brother-figure's education - isn't very hateable is it?

The following guest appearance is one of the best scenes of Indian cinema till contemporary times - the scene features a young man madly in love with an unknown Haseena which as the scene progresses is found to be a eunuch. The movie's plot gist is featured in a line in the scene - Kapoor says "Jo bhi ho jaisa bhi ho, bas PYAAR hona chahiye" (however, whoever as long as there's love). This absolutely radical scene and extremely controversial for 2004 (and to think the movie was anyway about a prostitute) does nothing more than make a statement - a powerful statement that makes all the difference. Prostitute, rich or poor, male or female as long as there's love the world turns out fine.

Through arrests, attacks, money scandals and two dance sequences Bose and Kapoor's characters come to find love in the most unbelievable circumstances. There's a fierce showcase of different worlds Chameli's and the businessman Aman's - working to get yourself somewhere better and having it done.

THE PERFORMANCES are punctured yet well done and often turn out irksome and slightly forced but the characters are put forth with ease and can be understood perfectly.

Chameli portrayed by Kareena Kapoor has been one of the most talked about performances by Kapoor and an Indian actress altogether. Kapoor plays the character beautifully and puts across Chameli as likeable and with depth. There's a constant haunting giggle that personally I find unnecessary and annoying, it takes away the character's façade despite trying to create one.

The swaying of emotions and random laughters seem inspired from Elizabeth Taylor's Martha of 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf' and could work except Chameli isn't portrayed as psychotic or as messed up as Martha. Chameli has a very relatable sanity and work ethic which despite her lies contradicts her movements and behaviour in the first couple of scenes. But as the movie progresses and the audience gets familiar with Chameli's behaviour and patterns seem to reduce - perhaps because of familiarisation or because of the director's later concentration towards the storyline more than the characters.

On the whole Kapoor comes through wonderfully - agitated and yet hopeful and the best part is she isn't afraid to look ugly or like a prostitute. She isn't afraid to go ahead and do what it takes to fit the bill - smoke, hurl abuses, walk the walk. There's been an obvious amount of effort, with the flawless accent and talking method, or the heavy make-up seen across the Indian prostitution scene, Kapoor is the most convincing new idea of Indian prostitution.

Rahul Bose's Aman is a tedious character - the audience has no particular opinion of him - he's interfering as well as self-blaming. It is relatable but not as a complete personality. Bose however, comes across as a depressed young businessman with a troubled past brilliantly. More than Kapoor, Bose seems to have fit into the character better - perhaps because it reflects somewhere in his personal past or perhaps because he's not the handsomest person in the reel world - he pulls off the sad Aman that doesn't require to be liked by the audience - only observed, since Aman himself is said to be only observing. Bose as Aman is a great idea because Bose isn't as famous as a Shah Rukh Khan and thus can work into Aman instead of Aman working to be him. And the lack of humour fits Bose's body of work and dry face perfectly.

Smaller performances by the appearing father of the man in love (Raja) and Haseena the eunuch are noteworthy and very well done. I obviously loved the casting and don't think it could have been anyone else.

The DIALOGUES were very well written and were greatly layered and thought provoking. The best dialogues obviously went to Kapoor's Chameli - who has most of the dialogues anyway. Interesting and insightful, the dialogues were written well, opened great windows into the characters and left the audience with a lot to digest. Like the controversial subject matter - the dialogues provoked ideas and taboos. And like Kapoor delivers, "Jab ass pass itni gandagi hai, thoda, asar to ho hi jayega" about her potty mouth - 'when the world is so filthy, the tongues catches up'.

Luckily there wasn't a lot of dancing in the movie and we're saved from extravagant Bollywood dance routines, however the three sequences that did appear somehow added to the movie's overall ideas. The MUSIC however wasn't the best part about the movie. It failed often and enforced emotions that could have been portrayed otherwise. There was barely a single frame where the beautiful rain was heard alone as the background. There was a constant wailing and agitating background score that forced pity and ideas of depression.

***

On the whole the movie works well, however it works better as a drama - the entire movie seems to be like a drama. Extremely limited change of setting, gravely defined entries and exits - the entire thing could come out much more superiorly on the stage. There is also a clear distinction between the first and second half of the movie - the first half concentrates on character development and portrayal, with a limited movement of time and space; the second half works towards the story and the plot and has multiple change of locations and characters. There's more than just two main characters then. The second half seems more like a movie but also tries extremely hard to add a story to a beautiful conversation that should conventionally lead to something exciting. The first half's build up gives the second half lesser beautiful moments and more of a fast paced plot.

The unmatching and drastic difference of the two halves is the movie's only undoing - filled with heart-breakingly beautiful moments and radical ideas 'Chameli' is a must watch movie that stars stellar performances by a beautiful and brilliant actress and a progressive actor. The best part about the movie is it's defying of convention - Not an Umraon Jaan, not a traditional trapped girl into prostitution story - the movie proves there is no need for convention to make a great movie.