Aitraaz Movie
Review
The masters of thrillers - Abbas-Mustan - are
back with a bang with AITRAAZ.
The Indian moviegoer has often witnessed
man-sexually-molesting-woman situations on the
big screen. Now get ready for exactly the
opposite: A woman accusing man of molesting her.
AITRAAZ tackles the issue of sexual harassment,
with the unique spin of placing the man in the
position of victim and the woman as aggressor.
Also, the Indian cinegoer is treated not to
death, explosions and car chases, but to that
good old-fashioned device to woo moviegoers: A
rousing story.
Although Abbas-Mustan tread a dangerous path
this time around - the theme is extremely
provocative - the writing [screenplay] and
execution [direction] is what makes the
difference. Had it not been for mature handling
by the immensely talented director duo, there
would've been a strong possibility of the
outcome becoming one sleazy, downmarket
exercise. But, thankfully, it's not!
Yes, AITRAAZ has an adult theme - that of an
adulterous, deceitful and treacherous woman -
but you can still watch this challenging theme
with your mother, wife, sister and daughter,
without squirming in your seat. For an audience
looking for a change, AITRAAZ works big time!
In the accused box of the courtroom, stands a
man, startled and shocked that destiny could
lead him there. He is accused of the most
heinous crime - molesting his lady-boss.
Raj Malhotra [Akshay Kumar], who works for a
cell phone company, is popular amongst his
circle of friends and work colleagues. But his
world comes crashing down when he meets Sonia [Priyanka
Chopra] again.
Sonia is an ambitious model with great
aspirations. She knows what she wants in life.
She is prepared to achieve her goals, whatever
the price. Her fundas in life are crystal clear:
Nothing shall come in between her wants and
desires.
Raj is well aware that Sonia knew only one way
to live and that was her way. And one fateful
evening, things did not go her way. Sonia brings
Raj's world to a screeching halt.
Raj's wife Priya [Kareena Kapoor], once a lawyer
herself, is prepared to do anything to protect
her husband's honour and dignity.
The devious shadow that threatens to put Raj's
honour at stake, finds an adamant Priya at the
opposing end. And from a content housewife,
Priya becomes a woman with a mission that she
must accomplish. She is now Raj's partner in
more ways than one.
Thrown into this web of deceit is Raj's boss,
Ranjit Roy [Amrish Puri], who happens to be
Sonia's husband. He is a mere pawn in her hands.
The drama has just begun. The court is far from
adjourned…
Inspired by Barry Levinson's Hollywood flick
DISCLOSURE [1994; Michael Douglas, Demi Moore,
Caroline Goodall], AITRAAZ has a plot that
Indian cinegoers haven't witnessed on the screen
yet. And that is its USP.
AITRAAZ actually starts off as one of those
routine love stories. The initial portions
between Akshay and Kareena are plain ordinary.
But you do sit up once Priyanka Chopra enters
the frame… and Akshay's life.
What makes the narrative interesting is that
it's the woman who eyes the man, not vice-versa.
And the interval point - the sexual altercation,
with a furious Priyanka breathing fire - is the
twist in the tale.
The post-interval portions focus on the two
warring sides locking horns in the courtroom.
Although the narrative does drop once in a
while, it takes off yet again the moment Kareena
confronts Priyanka in the latter's office [Priyanka's
advice to Kareena: Tell your husband to be my
'keep' for a lifetime and complete the
'unfulfilled job' - is a brilliantly executed
scene and a sign of changing cinema] and the
courtroom drama that ensues, with Kareena
blowing away Priyanka's reputation to
smithereens.
Director duo Abbas-Mustan score on several
levels.
One, the duo need to be complimented for opting
for a bold theme - a theme that has been
untouched on the Indian screen so far.
Two, the dramatic moments - so vital in a film
like this - are the mainstay of the enterprise.
The confrontations, on several occasions, stay
in your memory even after the show has
concluded.
Three, they deserve full marks for reposing
absolute faith in an actress who hasn't really
proved herself as a classic performer - Priyanka
Chopra - for the most vital role in the film.
The screenplay [Shyam Goel, Shiraz Ahmed] is
almost foolproof. Of course, there are
predictable situations in the initial portions
that one watches in every second Hindi film. But
these are minor blemishes in an otherwise
winning script. Dialogues are excellent,
especially the ones in the courtroom.
Himesh Reshammiya's music sounds pleasant to the
ears. Cinematography [Ravi Yadav] is first-rate.
AITRAAZ belongs to Priyanka Chopra completely.
No two opinions on that! Be it her first
appearance [in the story] or the sequence when
she openly asks Akshay for sexual favours or the
sequence with Kareena, Priyanka gets an
opportunity to bear her claws and she does it
with complete understanding of the character.
She sneaks her way through the role like an
expert, drawing audience hatred the way a magnet
collects iron filings.
Kareena has a sugar-and-sweet character till the
pre-climax and she does it well. And when she
does get the opportunity to display histrionics
[climax], she doesn't let the opportunity pass
by.
Akshay Kumar underplays his character ably.
Amrish Puri is alright. Paresh Rawal is
excellent in the courtroom sequences. Ditto for
Annu Kapoor, who matches Rawal at every step.
Vivek Shauq leaves a mark. Upasna Singh and
Feroze Irani are adequate.
On the whole, AITRAAZ is a well-crafted thriller
that meets the expectations. At the box-office,
the film faces tough opposition from VEER-ZAARA
without doubt, but yes, it's the kind of film
you'd want to spend your hard-earned money on
and not regret later for doing so. The Diwali
and Idd holidays should benefit the film
tremendously. Go for it!