Paheli (2005)

पहेली

This adaptation of a Rajasthani folk tale is sparkling, lush, and thoroughly engaging.  Its resolution may not be palatable to all - but Amol Palekar's Paheli ("riddle") is a folk tale, not a morality tale. 

On the day of her marriage, Lachchi (Rani Mukherjee) is sorrowful at leaving her family, but she puts on a brave face and travels to her new husband's home.  That night, she finds Kishen (Shah Rukh Khan) more interested in balancing his accounts than in completing their marriage.  When she presses him on the subject, he tells her that he is leaving the next morning for a five year business trip at the request of his father (Anupam Kher), an avaricious merchant. Why ignite passion, he asks, only to suppress it for so long?  Lachchi is spotted, however, by a restless bhoot (ghost) who falls madly in love with her, and when he gets wind of Kishen's departure, he transforms himself into Kishen's form and convinces the family that he has returned.  He cannot bring himself to deceive Lachchi, though, and reveals himself immediately, giving her the opportunity to banish him if she wishes.  Lachchi chooses the ghost's love and companionship, and the two enjoy a blissful and passionate union.  Trouble awaits them, of course, when the real Kishen returns. 

The story has an edge, and perhaps uncomfortable implications.  It is very appealing that Lachchi gets a choice; this kind of empowerment of women, in particular when it comes to sexual autonomy, is still rare in the movies (and not just Hindi movies), and I have to suppress an impulse to cheer when a woman in a film makes a bold decision that, for once, isn't self-sacrifice and martyrdom.  And it's especially satisfying to see a movie in which a woman can make such a choice and not pay for it, literally or figuratively, with her life.  Still, Paheli does make someone pay for Lachchi's extended frolic with the bhoot - the innocent Kishen, whose only crime is being somewhat haplessly under the thumb of his domineering father.  Lachchi and the bhoot's love is steamy, romantic, and appealing, but it's far from a victimless crime.  As I said, Paheli is not a morality tale; it's a spook story, dressed in beautiful clothes.   

Implications aside, Paheli is a wonderful movie to watch.  For one thing, it is an absolutely gorgeous visual feast.  The rich colors of the Rajasthani desert shimmer and dance in the desert backdrop, the luxurious interior scenes, and the silken costumes.  It is lushness done right; I can't help contrast Devdas, with visual excess that weighed down the film and amplified everything that was overwrought and affected to an intolerable degree.  In Paheli, the sumptuousness enhanced the fairy-tale feel, transporting the story to an unspecified time and place.  The saturated colors and rich sparkle perfectly suited the magical elements of the story.

Paheli is also a showcase for one - two, actually - of Shah Rukh Khan's best performances.  I am no great fan of his, and it was a nice treat here to enjoy a film because of, rather than despite, his work in it.  He distinguishes Kishen from the bhoot with a real physicality, making each character appealing in his own way (neither one is the arrogant hero characer with which he made himself a superstar), yet still keeping within the broad style of the film.  Rani Mukherjee's performance is unremarkable but more than adequate to the task; I like her, so I enjoyed it completely, especially in the film's beautiful, folk-tinged songs. Anupam Kher is very funny as always as Kishen's miserly father, in the kind of comic role he can do in his sleep.  A hysterical cameo by Amitabh Bachchan (and an unusual one by Naseeruddin Shah) add to the film's grandness. The sum is a film that I just loved, much to my surprise, and expect to watch again and again.

(ETA:  There is an outstanding discussion of the implications of Paheli's ending to be found on the BollyWHAT? discussion forums, beginning here.)

Comments

[queen of the ppcc]

Very good job in contrasting Devdas' and Paheli's aesthetics; you couldn't be more right! The latter is gorgeous, even visually spectacular. And agreed re: SRK's performance. This was actually the first SRK movie I saw, and I think it's spoiled me! Also, that moustache! Yes, please!

I was quite happy with the ending, though I agree it's not exactly nice. But that's what I enjoyed so much about it: the film eventually sets itself up to be unresolvable. There's no way all three could have been happy. Tragic, and also clever on the storyteller's part.

[Beth]

Such a good movie!

What did you think of Juhi and Sunil, barely present as they may be?

[Karu]

I so agree with the comments about Devdas and Paheli! I mean the opulence in Devdas put me off so much that after watching a couple of its trailers I promised myself that wouldn't watch that movie if somebody paid me for it!!! (n I hv sort of kept that promise!! I never watched the whole movie in one go...20 maybe!!) But I loved Paheli,the sound and the silence, the magical and the human part everything!!

[JJ]

I too thought SRK performed one of his better roles in this film.

So i was sho9cked when i saw that on Koffee with Karan it was Karan who asked Shahrukh what was the movie he regretted making the most and he said Paheli. I'm not sure why out of all his movies he chose Paheli. Maybe it was the morality question but considering it got to be India's Oscar Selection for 2005 i think he has done far worse movies *cough* Anjaam *cough*

[carla]

Thanks for the great comments everyone!

PPCC: "unresolvable" is a nice word for it, and I agree completely - there was just no win-win-win way for that story to end.

Beth: There's not much to think about them, I think; Suniel especially, who barely had a line. I was distracted by his modern stubbly beard; that and SRK's over-gelled hair seemed odd and inappropriate with the otherwise stylized-traditional costuming.

Karu: *Devdas* seems to get love-it or hate-it responses. To me it just seems like one misguided directorial choice after another. Other people seem to love it!

JJ: That's interesting, thanks. I wonder what he was thinking - maybe he was disappointed that he put his production company behind a movie that flopped? It's just one more indication that I am completely out of phase with the guy, I guess - it was the best movie of his I've seen, and the most I've ever liked him, by a long, long, long way.

[Meera]

Hi Carla

Great review as always!

Paheli is based on a Sahitya Academy (prestigious and highest literary awared in India) award winning novel. The story highlights the lonely life married women have to face in rural India with their spouses away on work or business.

I too enjoyed the movie for its visual splendour, costumes with the right attention to detail, music, choreography of songs, SRK, Rani and the puppoet show of course - part of growing up in India!.

Naserrudin Shah and his wife Ratna Pathak Shah are the background voices for the puppets in the movie.

Keep the reviews flowing !

cheers

Meera

[Daddy's Girl]

Re JJ's comment, I think SRK was disappointed at the reception 'Paheli' received at the box office, not in his own performance - from reading and listening to audience comments at the time, it seemed like a lot of people liked his performance but hated the story of the movie... I remember one viewer saying that SRK was 'utterly wasted' in 'Paheli'... Interesting review Carla, I haven't seen this one... tried to watch it on the plane once, but I fell asleep 20 minutes in - it wasn't the film, it was exhaustion. Will try again someday.

[yves]

Yes... well, all this is true, especially, Carla, the "visual feast" of Paheli. I was somewhat disappointed by the film's intention. What did the director want to do exactly? Not quite clear, it seemed to me. I was also very bored by the camel race bit, and found SRK fine, but to say the truth, not transcendent. But Rani... She was gorgeous. I loved the film for her!
cheers
yves

[Akshay Shah]

Fabulous review of a movie that didn't do much for me at all. Amol Palekar wanted to make this movie with a new cast, howver once SRK got involved the dynamics changed. I liked SRK's performance as a NON GHOST here quiet a bit, but the movie fell over for me simply because it was never sure what it wanted to be, the sensibilities of a Amol Palekar and SRK cannot go hand in hand IMO...

DEVDAS is way too OTT for me, except for the last 40 mins..

[Akshay Shah]

M.M KReem's music is magical..DHEERE CHALNA is just bliss...

[carla]

Yves - I wonder if what you are perceiving as an unclear message is the same thing that Akshay's comment below yours identified as Amol Palekar's sensibility not blending well with Shah Rukh Khan's.

Akshay - I am interested in that thought. I don't think I've seen any other Amol Palekar films - I've seen him as an actor but not a director - so I don't have a sense for his sensibilities.

[Maajhi]

Akshay, it's "dheere jalna", not 'chalna'.

dheere jalna zindagi ki lau pe jalna
Burn slowly on the flame of life.

[Meera]

Hi Carla

Amol Palekar is a good actor. Pls see some of his earlier movies ie of 1970s. These are the kind of movies you like. These include - Rajnigandha, choti si baat, chitchor, baton baton mein, golmaal (comedy by Hrishikesh Mukerhjee), Gharoanda (The Nest), Apney Paraaye etc.

Happy Viewing!

Meera