I went to watch this film after seeing the tacky TV promos expecting it to be an unbearable, over-the-top copy of I Am Sam which itself had its nth run on TV last Sunday. Then, Main Aisa Hi Hoon's opening shot of the Shimla church (the same as the one in Black) made me even more sceptical. Jessie Nelson meeting Sanjay Leela Bhansali in a Harry Baweja film would sure spell a recipe for disaster. Main Aisa Hi Hoon stops short of being one by just a whisker.
The start holds promise. The slickly choreographed drug-and-smoke-infused song featuring Esha Deol looks good. The emotions, initially, warm, sweet, subtle and restrained for a Baweja flick. But then you can't really keep a Bollywood director very far from his populist lineage. Baweja goes all out and botches it up badly with one flaw after another. The story is about a mentally challenged man Neel (Devgan) fighting for the custody of his 7-year-old daughter from his father-in-law Trivedi (Kher). Some elements in this drama remain big mysteries. Like how the hell did Neel impregnate the junkie hippie Trivedi daughter Maya (Esha)? Does he understand the "mohabbat" song he sings along with Maya? Why didn't Maya abort the kid if she's so bohemian? The unstated aspects of the Maya-Neel relationship, her own demons and dilemmas could have lent interesting angles to the film. Baweja decides to take the easy way out and abandons the thread altogether. Every character in the film is made cloyingly good till the utterly villainous granddad makes a threatening entry. And the totally redundant songs are put in just for the heck of it.
The film uses the term "autism" ever so callously, little knowing that there's a lot that differentiates autism from being insane or mentally challenged. It gets worse towards the end. The whole of Shimla going on a strike to witness Neel's case is laughable. The finale (oh so surprising!) is the most implausible. Devgan tries too hard at playing an endearing, "abnormal" person. And the effort shows. However, the discovery of the film is Ms Deol. Even with a badly under-sketched character, she comes up with her most promising performance yet. That's saying a lot.
INDIAN Top 5
1. Kyaa Kool Hai Hum
2. Kaal
3. Waqt: The Race Against Time
4. Main Aisa Hi Hoon
5. Lucky: No Time for Love
US Top 5
1. Kingdom of Heaven
2. House of Wax
3. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
4. Crash
5. The Interpreter
Courtesy: Film Information
Tags