These days, not even Hindi movies are the monoliths they once were and viewing the copious output of Bollywood through a single lens is little like trying to understand Nepal from the comfortable confines of Kathmandu, a futile endeavor. Like life, Bollywood is increasingly unpredictable—and so much better for it. And so it was also with 'Tamasha', Ranbir Kapoor's new release in town.I say Ranbir Kapoor's because the film is completely centered on his character of Ved. Ved, outwardly a regular Joe with a 10-5 job, is a bundle of emotions inside. As an escape, from early in his childhood, he likes to cook up stories in his head—and not just cook them up. He believes he can actually play out many of these imaginary roles, much like the colorful characters of an old raconteur in his native Simla.
Ved is driven to these flights of fancy in part because of his overbearing father who wants to force his son into engineering. But he has zero appetite for science and mathematics. Yet, bound by his filial duties, he takes the plunge and in time learns to suppress his heart's calling. Then, one fine day while Ved is holidaying in Corsica, France, he meets Tara.
Played by Deepika Padukone, the effervescent and adventurous Tara hits it off instantly with the seemingly daring and dreamy Ved. Both of them, it appears, are in Corsica to escape their humdrum lives back in India. The two decide to spend the week together in Corsica. The catch of their instant, adventure-filled relationship is that after the week is over they will go their own separate ways, never to meet again.
But human relationships are seldom as easy and this, being a Hindi movie, they are bound to meet again. But when they actually do, Tara, to her horror, finds that the Ved she finds in India is not the man she met in the French island. While the Ved of Corsica is courageous and creative, the Ved she finds in Delhi is a robot, dutifully playing out the role prescribed to him as a mid-ranking manager. For Tara, it just doesn't compute.
Not to give away the plot, let me just say that the rest of the movie shows how Ved is able to manage (or not) this infernal inner conflict—with Tara's help.
Not everyone will like this film. Many will find the character of Ved far too complex for a lead actor in a mainstream Bollywood movie. This was indeed the verdict of many of my fellow moviegoers who could be heard moaning and groaning inside the hall on Saturday. I, for one, loved 'Tamasha.'
For even on-screen heroes, for me, are deeply flawed and complex characters, just like any one of us. And the fact that Hindi movies have finally started to acknowledge this is a matter of great delight for Bollywood fans like me. This is not to say the industry will stop churning out some mindless mulch—and they are appealing in their own right. It's only to note the gradual maturing of the Indian film industry.
But as much as I liked 'Tamasha', I wish the character of Tara had been more developed. Throughout the movie Tara is relevant only to the extent that she helps us understand Ved. This is injustice to an otherwise rich character. But this is more of a quibble than a complaint.
If, like me, you are up for a little experimentation in a Bollywood movie, go see 'Tamasha.' But if you are expecting a drama-filled rom-com with a seamless plot, you might be in for a disappointment.
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