Four years back, English Vinglish, directed by Gauri Shinde, attempted to instill a great degree of self-respect and liberated attitude in the housewives through her cinematic vision which also mirrored the stigmas and narrow-mindedness of our society. Her second directorial venture, Dear Zindagi ,too tries to snuff out the rooted prejudices against mental illness and seeking therapy for its remedy.It is a slice-of- life drama set in an urban milieu which gives sweet little but insightful messages about life while employing the interactions between the protagonist and her life coach as the agent.
Alia Bhatt plays Kaira,a young, independent and budding cinematographer working in Mumbai ,whose life is in a mess.Volatile and commitment phobic,she is grappling to come over the bitter break-up with her boyfriend and her major problems arise out of her insecurities in life.She returns to Goa, her native,to stay for some time with her parents with whom she also has some unsettled issues - something that our youth would so strongly identify with.It is where she finds her shrink in Dr. Jahangir Khan( Shah Rukh Khan), a mental therapist, who helps her overcome her inner demons by giving a whole new perspective of life.
With a spanking new and refreshing approach, Gauri Shinde makes the right noise with utter sensitivity and sensibility. The film has got its heart at the right place but the major drawback lies in its languid pace and meandering plot.You really wouldn't mind grabbing a popcorn in between and even step out second time for a beverage, thanks to its lazy momentum. To give credit where it's due, some of the sequences sparkle with the way they are depicted. Kaira's sessions with Jugs(Jahangir)are deeply engrossing and specially her moment of emotional breakdown, while narrating her tumultuous childhood backstory brought a lump in my throat. The narrative sees their interaction unravel against the scenic landscape of Goa with Amit Trivedi's soulful scores injected at the right junctures. However, you can't discount the contrivances in terms of the short- lived romantic flings of Kaira with her suitors.
The prime reason to stay invested with this fare is the intuitive performance of Alia and the level of genuineness she brings on the board.She works on her instincts,without a hint of affectation and that's what makes her character so relatable. Its a treat to watch Shah Rukh khan come back to his restrained self where the power of performance triumphs over his megastar image.With a dash of natural charm and empathetic lines, Shah Rukh complements Alia in the 'therapy' sequences toweringly. The film's preachy tones get subdued with their sheer dynamics which inflict us with genuine warmth and awe.The supporting ensemble appear in flashes - Kunal Roy Kapoor, Ali Zafar,Angad Bedi and Ira Dubey are sincere in their respective parts, but the script doesn't give them much of opportunity to make an impact. Yashaswini Dayama who plays Alia' best buddy is a revelation!
I go with 2 and half out of 5 for Dear Zindagi, an extra half for Alia's knock-out performance.
Alia Bhatt plays Kaira,a young, independent and budding cinematographer working in Mumbai ,whose life is in a mess.Volatile and commitment phobic,she is grappling to come over the bitter break-up with her boyfriend and her major problems arise out of her insecurities in life.She returns to Goa, her native,to stay for some time with her parents with whom she also has some unsettled issues - something that our youth would so strongly identify with.It is where she finds her shrink in Dr. Jahangir Khan( Shah Rukh Khan), a mental therapist, who helps her overcome her inner demons by giving a whole new perspective of life.
With a spanking new and refreshing approach, Gauri Shinde makes the right noise with utter sensitivity and sensibility. The film has got its heart at the right place but the major drawback lies in its languid pace and meandering plot.You really wouldn't mind grabbing a popcorn in between and even step out second time for a beverage, thanks to its lazy momentum. To give credit where it's due, some of the sequences sparkle with the way they are depicted. Kaira's sessions with Jugs(Jahangir)are deeply engrossing and specially her moment of emotional breakdown, while narrating her tumultuous childhood backstory brought a lump in my throat. The narrative sees their interaction unravel against the scenic landscape of Goa with Amit Trivedi's soulful scores injected at the right junctures. However, you can't discount the contrivances in terms of the short- lived romantic flings of Kaira with her suitors.
The prime reason to stay invested with this fare is the intuitive performance of Alia and the level of genuineness she brings on the board.She works on her instincts,without a hint of affectation and that's what makes her character so relatable. Its a treat to watch Shah Rukh khan come back to his restrained self where the power of performance triumphs over his megastar image.With a dash of natural charm and empathetic lines, Shah Rukh complements Alia in the 'therapy' sequences toweringly. The film's preachy tones get subdued with their sheer dynamics which inflict us with genuine warmth and awe.The supporting ensemble appear in flashes - Kunal Roy Kapoor, Ali Zafar,Angad Bedi and Ira Dubey are sincere in their respective parts, but the script doesn't give them much of opportunity to make an impact. Yashaswini Dayama who plays Alia' best buddy is a revelation!
I go with 2 and half out of 5 for Dear Zindagi, an extra half for Alia's knock-out performance.
