Art & Entertainment

Baabul

Vigorously espousing a cause, that of widow remarriage, it comes to the point way too late into the action.

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Baabul
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Baabul is in the line of the social issues-oriented cinema of the B.R. Chopra banner vigorously espousing a cause: that of widow remarriage. However, it comes to this point way too late into the action, with the entire first half wasted in just setting the stage for the tragedy. All the drama, tension and emotions intrinsic to the theme are kept locked till the fag end. What happens through most of the screen time is a big celebration of the great Indian family. Every banal moment is blown into something big. Here father (Big B) calls his son (Salman) buddy and his wife (Hema Malini) biwi. They dance at every function using foreign dancers as extras.

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That’s not all, the other major flaw of the film is that it fails to see a widow’s problem in the context of the modern, urban family that she’s shown to belong to. This is not to say that widows don’t exist in urban India or that they have no problems. But Baabul tries to shove widow remarriage down your throat as an only solution to all their woes. It’s definitely very nice to see ma-in-law telling her bahu (Rani) to wear colours and not to live in white. But why does the pa-in-law need to run to Europe to bring home the bahu’s long-lost friend (John) and then foist him on her as a husband, that too when she has no feelings for him? Would it not have been better to just let her chill, come to terms with her tragedy and decide the way she wants to go in life? Why can’t the choice be hers?

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Despite the failings in his character, Big B lends it gravitas and dignity. But his self-conscious cute couple act with Hema Malini is irritating. Time to get over Baghban. Rani dons a new bohemian look and trendy specs in the first half, then quickly moves on to traditional, Indian outfits and bucketfuls of tears. Salman looks puffy-eyed and John acts like a log of wood. Om Puri’s elder patriarch bit seemed realistic but gets reduced to two minutes of shouting in the climax. And just what were Sarika, Parmeet Sethi and Aman Verma doing? They may as well have not been there. What I liked in the mess was the song Bawri piya ki. Much like Dev’s Tujh sang bandhi dor, Aadesh Srivastava spins out a surprisingly fine melody.

High Fives

Bollywood
1. Dhoom 2
2. Baabul
3. Vivaha
4. Apna Sapna Money Money
5. With Luv...Tumhaara

Hollywood
1. Apocalypto
2. Happy Feet
3. The Holiday
4. Casino Royale
5. Blood Diamond

Christmas Music
1. Christmas Hits (Various Artists)
2. Amarantine: Christmas Edition (Enya)
3. Best Christmas Album (Assorted)
4. That’s What I Call Christmas
5. Rat Pack Christmas (Frank Sinatra)

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