Review of Dhobi Ghat (2010) by Shalabh M — 28 Jan 2011
Deep. Thought-provoking. Haunting...
To say that 'Dhobi Ghat' is not for everyone would be a gross under-statement. But to ignore such kind of cinema would be a sin. Cinema that respects viewers' intelligence, that does not care for it being the biggest blockbuster of the year and at the same time, does not seem pretentious. But most of all, its the kind of cinema that is all about story-telling. And story-telling in its highest form!
One has to really love a city with whatever its got, to make a film where the city itself is a character. And I believe Kiran Rao knows Mumbai better than most other film makers out there today. Her story-telling skill is only too well demonstrated as she is able to condense lives of four individuals in 1 hr 40 min. And the editing more than complements the tight script.
Performances seemed effortless, though a tad underplayed (especially Monica 'Shai' Dugar and Aamir 'Arun' Khan), but Prateik's Munna and Kriti's Yasmin left an impression - especially Kriti!
But I'd have to say that if it were not for the haunting soundtrack of Gustavo Santaolalla, the film would not have had its soul.
A clear winner for me...
This review of Dhobi Ghat (2010) was written by Shalabh M on 28 Jan 2011.
Dhobi Ghat has generally received mixed reviews.
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