Movie: Amit Sahni Ki List
Director: Ajay Bhuyan
Cast: Virr Das, Vega Tamotia, Anindita Nayar, Kavi Shastri
Rating: **
Amit Sahni Ki List is a hard trial to prove it’s the latest wine in the town packaged in a new bottle. But the attempt to be modern falls so flat amidst the desperation. The guy’s confused priorities between the mind and the heart in an urban setting is stuff that most coming of age films have been portraying from eons together. As short lived as the title is the film’s shelf-life, it’s about a list that the lead character does away with to stick to his heart. He realises life isn’t about being perfect but about respecting the imperfections the two have. Visually, a treat to the eyes, this rich man’s party has little or no depth to it.
Vir Das looks cutout for the role he’s given. He speaks to the camera often about his perfect partner list ranging from her physical aesthetics to her career choices he wants to tick in each marriage prospect he gets. Although that can be discounted as a cheap trick to remind you of Woody Allen, the actor works hard to make it feel alright. But, isn’t he slotting himself into the cool-dude city chap category too much now? What different do you see in him from Shadi Ke Side Effects to Revolver Rani to this ? It’s tough to find any. He literally penetrates into his part like a cake walk. This is the better part of letting him carrying this work on his own shoulders. Watch his films in the past and pen a list of his common personality traits like he does here, you can be assured to tick all of them as the film proceeds.
The commonplace ideas aren’t as much a curse when the film starts. It’s the obvious rejection of Amit’s blind dates arranged by his cinematically loveable mother one after the other. When he bumps into a girl of his dreams, the director wants to give his take about the conflicts surrounding the opposites-attract belief. Then, the problems begin. The perfect romance has a halt. The dude of the town lectures about over perfectionism and wants his plans to work instead of life taking its own course, making a mess of a situation only to regret in about, say 20 minutes ?
Amit, the lead character gets the best of costumes in contrast to his actual position on an inner level. Meanwhile, the soul-partner gypsy to this man is dressed up casually, but has her head sorted about what she wants and doesn’t. The total package of the romance, breakup and comeback is shot without any drama. The maker goes overboard while using the romance-meter episode to get the spectator to loathe the lady. All it takes for the overgrown boy to patch up with his female equivalent is to climb a helicopter, run for about 17 kms using GPS and say sorry. Everything after all is given on a platter, both to the audience and the character. This is absolute convenience. Vega Tamotia is genuine in her part, but where’s the imperfection in the film for you to love it as per the director’s formula ? Sorry, you are rejected is what you are tempted to say for a flimsy result that doesn’t strike a chord in your heart.
Review by Srivathsan N. First published in Cineoger.net
