Haider

There could be many of you out there who haven’t read what is probably William Shakespeare’s most popular tragedy – Hamlet.  It was the bard’s longest play and has been the subject of many a movie. For those unaware of the story, you MUST read this section before you walk into watch Haider http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet#Plot.

Notice the confidence with which I say that you will walk in.  The long weekend kept aside, you HAVE to make some time at the earliest to watch this one.  If there was a competition for the best ever adaptations of Hamlet then one can be assured that Haider will definitely be up there.

I will not delve into the story of Haider because it will eat away into precious words.  Read the wiki link and be rest assured that this adaptation is one that the Bard would have been proud of.  It isn’t perfect because of some other reasons but it is as true to the original as can be given the background of Kashmir in the 1990s.

For Vishal Bharadwaj fans out there, it will be an absolute treat because everything in Haider screams VB.  The dialogue oscillates between high quality Hindi and chaste Urdu.  To use a corny one liner, even the dialogue sounds like music to your ears.  As always, VB has chosen to compose the music for Haider as well.  Don’t miss out on the soundtrack either because it is perfect for the movie.

The trademark Vishal Bharadwaj “Matter of Fact” dialogues are an integral part.  There are 2 that stand out.  Watch out for the moment where Arshia’s (Shradhha Kapoor) father tells here “Aaage se Kuch chhupana nahin” with effortless ease.  The manner in which a loving father moves away from being the local head of police is superb.

Or when Haider is at the graveyard and asks one of the gravediggers “Kiska janaaza hai” (Whose funeral?) and the reply, “Kisi Murde ka” (A dead body’s).  Only VB can make such simple dialogues seem nothing short of sensational.  Simply awesome.

Shahid Kapoor continues to show that he has a Jekyll and Hyde to him.  With VB he is always brilliant.  Without VB one can question his genes.  His performance in Haider is probably his best to date.  Ably supported by every single member of the cast including the ever reliable Irrfan Khan as Roohdaar or carrier of a soul – such a brilliant adaptation for the ghost of Hamlet’s father.

Everything about Haider screamed brilliance and yet at the end of it all the finer details kept gnawing at my head and which is probably the reason I will give Haider a 7.5 on 10 instead of the 8 or 8.5 that it could have so easily got.  It may seem like I am on a witch hunt but I assure you that I am not.

It is immensely disappointing to see manicured nails of lead actresses in several sequences – especially when you are narrating a tragedy set in a time where Kashmir was arguably at its worst.  Ditto for make-up of the lead actresses.  When you have done your bit to keep them plain with their costumes then why not the extra step to get the other finer details sorted.

The oscillation between a proper Kashmiri accent in one line to normal Hindi in another didn’t go too well with me.  And then there is a certain punch that one associates with VB that was present even with the more commercial Kaminey.  The X factor.  That unidentifiable element that slaps you square across the face and you walk out dazed is missing. 

Some scenes, in my mind, were just not required and seems more like an effort was being made to stretch the movie beyond its acceptable length.  The 2^nd half is almost 90 minutes long.  Thankfully the raw climax makes it worthwhile to stay till the end.  As I said, 7.5 on 10.  Don’t miss this one.  And apologies for the slightly long review.

Watch the trailer on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xakmvJ0WPa4