Celluloid Poetry
An allegory of optimism and simplicity
Take a moment to imagine the world from the point of view of a deaf-mute person. For those of us who are blessed with the ability to hear and speak, imagining ourselves being silent in a silent world is not an easy task. Very few of us comprehend how blessed we are to possess those abilities and even fewer of us refrain from complaining about our almost perfect lives. It is simply because we take those abilities for granted and forget to be grateful.
Recently I happened to stumble upon “Barfiâ€, an Indian sentimental romantic comedy. Not a fan of mainstream Bollywood films, I was slightly hesitant to watch it. Nevertheless, in spite of myself, I got drawn into the story within the first 10 minutes. Written and directed by film maker Anurag Basu, the story revolves around a young man with impaired speech and hearing.
Barfi (Ranbir Kapoor) has always known his world as a quiet place. However, instead of being depressed, the ever-optimistic dreamer is always happy, carefree and knee-deep in pranks. He views the world around him like a silent film of Chaplin-esque fun in which the characters go about their business unaware of a silent spectator watching them, with an impish grin on his face. Kapoor uses just the right amount of old-school comedy to cement the fact that his character's handicap does not bother him.
Born into a poor, yet loving, family in Darjeeling, Barfi loses his mother right after his birth. Though his parents name him Murphy (smitten by their radio's brand), the boy, in a cruel twist of fate, is deaf-mute. He pronounces his name Barfi (popsickle) which sticks to him till the very end. It is the only word he can say.
Quite a charmer, his bittersweet relationship with Shruti (Ileana D'cruz) and his unpretentious friendship with Jhilmil (Priyanka Chopra) set in motion a turntable of events that eventually throw him off the course of his familiar life. The alchemy between Barfi and Jhilmil, an autistic girl with cold-hearted parents, is particularly heart-rending.
The movie, told mostly without dialogue, winds in and out of three separate timeframes. Barfi unmistakably reminds us of Charlie Chaplin and Raj Kapoor (Ranbir's grandfather). The film which will be sent as the Best Foreign Language Film nomination for the 85th Academy Awards in February 2013 has award-winning performances.
Ranbir is definitely a contender for best actor and Priyanka needs to be commended for shedding her vanity to portray her character of an autistic girl, though at times it seemed that she was trying too hard. Ileana plays the conflicted character of Shruti with solemn elegance.
Set against the backdrop of a picturesque Darjeeling, the movie soothes and teases your senses at the same time. The lush tea plantations, quaint narrow-gauge trains and mist-shrouded hills of the sleepy town are captured by cinematographer Ravi Varman so skillfully that you would almost want to plan a trip there.
The refreshing background score by Pritam is captivating enough to transport you into Barfi's world of simplicity and love. Reflect on the sheer beauty of the following lines of a song written by Swanand Kirkire:
Khamoshi ki loriyaan/ Sun toh raat so gayi/Bin kahe bin sunay, baat ho teri meri/Ankahee si guftgu/ Ansunee si justaju/Bin kahe bin sunay, Apni baat ho gayi…
A pleasantly different film, “Barfi†works so well because of its simplicity. It does not try to perform miracles or look for cures. Instead, it merely observes a man's acceptance of who he is and the way he loves his life despite the many obstacles he encounters.
A brilliant allegory of optimism and simplicity, the movie reminds us that no matter how tough our lives may be we can always strive to be better people. After all is said and done, one thing is for certain, the feel-good movie will surely leave you with a smile.
Afsana Tazreen, movie and literary buff, is with The Daily Star.
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