Aaja nachle (2007)

आजा नचले

Madhuri Dixit is back, and as stunning as ever, in a vehicle whose very title, Aaja nachle ("Come and dance"), tells you that it's designed to play to her greatest strength.  That alone makes Aaja nachle worth seeing, and while the film otherwise doesn't quite meet its potential, it's still a good solid all-around entertainer.

As a young girl, Diya was the toast of her small town of Shamli - both the star dancer in the local troupe and the breaker of local hearts.  Impulsive and thirsty for adventure, Diya eloped with an American photographer, and Shamli was never the same.  Diya's parents were shamed right out of town, and Shamli's stage, Ajanta, where Diya once dazzled with her performances, fell into disuse.  Some ten years later, Diya, now divorced, returns to Shamli at the request of her dying mentor and decides to take on the establishment - in the form of a young MP named Raja (Akshaye Khanna) and a scheming businessman Farouq (Irfan Khan) - who would like to see Ajanta torn down and replaced by a shopping mall.  Diya sets out to woo the hearts of Shamli back to her, and back to dance as well, orchestrating a home-grown production of the classic romance of Laila Majnu.  She's operating against long odds though.  The town is arrayed against her, and her troupe, led by the recalcitrant Imran (Kunal Kapoor) and the unpolished Anokhi (Konkona Sen Sharma) is ragtag at best.  Diya's work is cut out for her.

Aaja nachle doesn't mess around.   There's no coy opening, no stalling the much-anticipated revelation of its heroine.  Instead, it gives you what you came for right in the very first frames - Madhuri smiling, Madhuri dancing.  But this delectable appetizer is not offered without a hint of reproach toward Bollywood's prodigal daughter.  Madhuri is dancing, all right, but she's dancing in New York, to a distinctly American-sounding R&B song with English lyrics, and surrounded by gora extras so pale that even fairer-than-fair Madhuri looks dusky in comparison.  The effect (clearly calculated, and perhaps enhanced by makeup) is both striking and confusing, as if the film is simultaneously chastising Madhuri for fleeing to the States while reminding the audience that she's still very much theirs.

Unfortunately that symbolically laden opening is the last opportunity Aaja nachle takes to tie its feel-good story to a deeper message.  There are numerous opportunities for allegory here, but none of them are clearly taken.  There is neither a clear nod to the modern NRI incarnation of Madhuri Dixit as the prodigal savior of Hindi film, or a sharp criticism of those who might see her such.  The groundwork is laid for a strong message on the tension between the benefits of progress and development on the one hand and the preservation of traditional art forms on the other, but nothing is built on that foundation either.  Every time Aaja nachle gets close to saying something about anything at all, it shies away, retreating into the bright, shiny, familiar clothes of an all-out entertainer.

If that's all you demand from Aaja nachle, though, it delivers amply.  After all, Madhuri is Madhuri, and she's as gorgeous and perfect as ever; there's nothing like watching her do her thing in a colorful production number, whether the resplendent title song in the film's first half or the intense 20-minute extravaganza that is the town's Laila Majnu production.  And she's given a supporting cast that enhances the fun.  Konkona Sen Sharma is particularly brilliant as the rough, gruff, tomboy Anokhi - she's an actor with seemingly limitless range and guts to match, and she inhabits this unglamorous character with delightful fearlessness. 

And so Aaja nachle takes its place among satisfyingly solid entertainers, films that look great and leave you tapping your toes and smiling but that don't stand up to much deep thought afterward. Though I know that Madhuri is good for more than that, I can't really complain -  I'll watch her come and dance any old time.   

(Thanks to David for some helpful discussions.)

Comments

[a ppcc representative]

Awww. No mention of the casteist controversy? Roswitha has a good blog post about it: http://roswitha.blogspot.com/2007/12/dancing-in-dark.html

[SwatiS]

I agree with some parts of your post-- but I don't think this movie was good, and I think it highlights some glaring problems that Bollywood has (as I've written on my blog on a post about this movie). I really do wish it was a hit and an entertainer-- but I was grossly disappointed.

[carla]

ppcc: I can't mention everything, and I don't; I need to keep my posts short enough that at least I would be willing to read them! But I know I can always count on others to fill in the gaps, as you have done here. There was some controversy about a line in a song in this film - I don't know much about it, and certainly don't feel qualified to comment on it, but fortunately others have explored it in detail.

SwatiS: Thanks for the comments. I read your post, and I'm surprised to say that I don't agree with it at all! That is to say, while I think the movie had its faults, I don't think too many characters (or too many songs) was one of them. I'll say more on your own post.

[DG]

I just saw this movie last night and I have to agree that it's light on character development and plot development - like you said there was SO much potential there, but it's almost as though they were afraid to harness it properly and really give us something to think about.... But watching Madhuri dance was definitely worth the price of admission. No-one does it quite like her.

[MovieZen]

Let's be honest - this movie was a showcase for Madhuri. Period. I never expected a Sholay-like movie with great character development, superb plot, etc. I went in expecting to see Madhuri dance, and boy, was I not disappointed. It's all about proper expectation setting.

[carla]

MovieZen, thanks for the comment. I don't really disagree. The movie *could* have been more, but for what it was, it was just fine.

"The movie *could* have been more, but for what it was, it was just fine."

I think that phrase nicely sums up why I don't write and publish my own film reviews. Being a profoundly shallow person, very much of the "sometimes a cigar is just a presidential sex toy" school of thought, I seldom see subtexts or get hidden messages from a lot of movies. That's one of the reasons why I like reading reviews from those people who do see deeper than the surface. The insights of people like yourself Carla, and others, such as the PPCC, often add a great deal to my appreciation for a film, or enhance my desire to either see it for the first time or watch it again.

Nevertheless, there is a certain irony here. Despite my lack of aptitude and/or interest in subtexts in movies, I tend to see one in comments like the one above. It's not unique to this review, but whenever I read a comment like the one I quoted, I'm left with the impression that, at least to some degree, the reviewer thinks the movie not only *could* have been more but SHOULD have been more. This particular movie seems to have drawn more than its fair share of such comments. Most of the reviews of Aaja Nachle which I've read, not only say that the movie could have been more, but proceed to provide examples of specific areas in which the movie could have been more, could have done more, could have carried more weight, or been more meaningful. However, I don't think this implicit criticism is unique to Aaja nachle. There is a very good chance that I am reading something which isn't there, but quotes like the one above really do seem to be damning with faint praise, in a manner akin to that in which the word "satisfactory" now implies at least a modicum of dissatisfaction.

I have not seen it yet, since the nearest cinema which regularly shows Hindi films is 300 km away, but I am looking forward to its release on DVD. I suspect my eager anticipation might have something to do with the fact that when I see a movie title saying simply "Aaja nachle", I don't go in expecting to see (or to measure it against) a Satyajit Ray interpretation of "À la recherche du temps perdu".

As I said, this is not a criticism of people who make these assessments, since I have benefited greatly from reading them. It's simply an observation, noting that there are times when watching a movie can be simply about switching the brain off and having a good time. This I can say from very recent personal experience, having both watched and enjoyed "National Treasure: Book of Secrets"!!

[Sundus]

Dear Carla,
After much expectation, I finally watched Aaja Nachle. I had read so many reviews about it, and of course yours was quite important in my preparation for it and after watching it I can say that I was not disappointed at all. Yes, it was quite bothersome to see Madhuri dancing Western music, wearing 'bebe' tight shirts, and raising a child who refuses to speak Hindi and seems unappreciative of her heritage. Not to mention Madhuri's character rejecting loyal Mohan one more time, and drinking Starbucks with the bad but rich guy. But after I thought about it, I figured Madhuri's character was quite consistent. When young, she was a little arrogant and much immature, and 11 years later she had learnt some lessons, but not all of them. At the end, isn't life the journey and once we are done learning we die? In that regard, I don't have to love the character, because I love Madhuri :) I got my Madhuri fix; I fell in love with her charm again just like when I first watched her dancing, and I very much enjoyed the music, the supporting cast, the photography and of course the ending! The rhyme of the ending was fabulous; and each and every performance was superb! I don't speak Hindi, and the Spanish subtitles (since I am Latin American) were terrible; but the English ones were good enough for me to sigh, and laugh, and get inspired with the movie.
So, as much as I love Madhuri dancing traditional khatak in ostentous traditional dresses; I thought it was quite bold of her to come back with such an 'unpopular' character and Western flavor. It is still a movie to ponder about globalization, and the equilibrium of modernity and tradition. And I frankly think that those who criticized the movie harshly are just like the harsh and negative audience in the ajanta right after the delightful "Aaja Nachle" dance... many blessings! Sundus

[carla]

Sundus, what a wonderful thoughtful comment, thanks so much for posting it here. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on other films too!