Isn’t director Sooraj loosing his midas touch? If it is so, then its probably because he has become too repetitive with his all-to-familiar themes, stereotype characters and mandatory twist towards the climax before a fairy-tale end. His inability to take up the challenge of exploring the various shades of complex ‘human mind’ to pen novel plots is definitely one of the reasons since for the last two decades he has been just fascinated with the stories of lovers or would-be couple and about their families. Unfortunately even for his latest film he hasn’t digged out a valid plot since the ‘conflict points’ (envious aunt and fire accident) look highly contrived though the resolution is bit positive. Even veteran composer Ravindra Jain lets him down with an album lacking repeat value. The caption “A journey from engagement to marriage’ could have been more appropriate if there were few ‘sparks’ between the protagonists and then reconciliation instead of an cliched `inferno’ to enlighten an envious aunt and exhibit protagonist’s love.

Undoubtedly director is a ‘sensitive’ maker who etches-out positive characters with an heart of gold barring one or two characters who display negative shades. He believes in ‘feel-good’ ambience and fairy-tale resolutions to all his plots. So his ‘conditioned’ mind is unable to beyong for more challenging plots and characters and just keeps re-re-writing the same stuff. He seems to be familiar with only two backdrops- an affluent family and a middle-class family in a small town and obviously a ‘rishta’ between these two and one typical character to play spoilsport. If Bindu spit venom in “HAHK”, here Seema Biswas does it, and only after a death-defying act she realizes Amrita’s goodness (it reflects her poor wisdom). Unfortunately the maker seems to be a male-chauvinist as he shows males behind laptops and women shown cooking and serving (barring Anupam’s claim that he has encouraged his first daughter-in-law to attend office). Director’s another thematic flip-flop is giving more emphasis to ‘pretty looks’ of the heroine (in hospital Alok says that God has destroyed her looks in fire accident) than on her other positive traits. He drives the point further down by involving her in a fire accident (but saw to it that her face wasn’t burnt though roof collapses above her head, great escape indeed) to judge the response of her would-be. Probably Shahid would have had second thoughts if her ‘face’ had been burnt (as director wrongly assumed).

Shahid is bit hesitant about getting married without even a ‘career’ but agrees overnight after seeing her ‘photo’. He is unable to decide even after ‘one-to-one’ chat and even stops his sister-in-law but she rushes down to announce his ‘approval’. Despite being well-educated he needs her ‘pep’ talk to impress board of directors. His arrival at the hospital itself indicates his ‘interest’ for her but by making him to put ‘sindoor’ is over-dramatic and nuptial nite with a half-burnt patient is uncalled for.

Amrita Rao is too timid and doesn’t have any plans about her career (hope she doesn’t belong to this generation). Her only goal is to get married and escape from her venomous aunt. She is so polite that she forgot to ‘cry in pain’ even after third-degree burns and talks nicely to all (a miracle in medical history).

Director told CNN-IBN that he was brought up in a ‘rich lifestyle” so he has stuck to this ‘genre’ (feel-good movies) suggesting that other ‘subjects’ are alien to him. A maker who makes films on ‘poor’ and ‘downtrodden’ need not necessarily hail from such conditions. Creativity relies more on imagination and comprehension. He needs to brush up his mindset or else it will be difficult for him to compete with talented young makers.

More Different Perspectives by Friendly Viewer:
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• Dhoom 2 (Hindi)
• Aa Naluguru
• Aparichitudu
• Krrish (Hindi)
• Sri Ramadasu
• Vikramarkudu
• Don (Hindi)
• Pokiri
• Stalin
• Bommarillu

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