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7 ½ Phere
Post HUM AAPKE HAIN KOUN and MONSOON WEDDING, the concept of depicting
Indian marriages on celluloid continues to be a favorite for most
storytellers.
7 ½ PHERE not only looks at a traditional Indian marriage, it also talks
of strategies adopted by television channels to increase their
viewership by installing spycams and making public the juiciest
details/hidden skeletons concerning individuals/family.
A fascinating concept without doubt, thankfully 7 ½ PHERE is
interestingly handled as well. Of course, there's no denying that the
film has its share of loose ends, but the light moments and the sequence
of events keep you engrossed for most part of the first half mainly.
However, 7 ½ PHERE could've done better with some superior actors and
better production values. The absence of known names, barring Irrfan and
Juhi, as also the making, which lacks finesse, act as road blocks in the
film.
7 ½ PHERE has a novel story to tell. And director Isshaan Trivedi
handles the light moments with flourish. The split personality of almost
every character is well depicted and like MONSOON WEDDING, the film
looks at issues that one comes across in today's modern society.
Asmi [Juhi Chawla] has been entrusted the task by her television channel
to cover a reality show. There's a marriage in the Joshi family and when
Asmi offers the proposal of covering the event for the TV network, the
family stands divided on the issue.
The bride's father is willing to go along with the idea, but a few
members in the family find the idea ludicrous. Manoj [Irrfan Khan], the
bride-to-be's youngest uncle, develops a soft corner for Asmi.
Getting an inkling of Manoj's feelings, Asmi decides to use him for the
project. Asmi gets hidden cameras installed in the house and as the
hidden cameras begin to roll, the skeletons begin to tumble out of the
Joshis' closet. Chaos and confusion reigns supreme, until Manoj realizes
that he has opened up the Pandora's box.
Loosely inspired by Ron Howard's Hollywood film EDTV [1999; starring
Matthew McConaughey, Jenna Elfman], 7 ½ PHERE has an interesting
premise, a theme that hasn't been attempted in Bollywood earlier. With a
novel theme as its USP, the director has packed the narrative with a
series of interesting incidents that would bring a smile on your face.
But there's no denying that 7 ½ PHERE would've emerged as a foolproof
entertainer had the writing been consistent all through. While the first
half has several arresting moments, the pace slackens in the
post-interval portions since the focus suddenly shifts to various
sub-plots, including Juhi's aspirations of becoming a topnotch director
as also the love story of the aged couple [Anang Desai, Neena Kulkarni],
besides the long-drawn sequence between the bride and the groom in the
penultimate reel. Also, the film would've had a better impact had the
length of the second half been concise.
Director Isshaan Trivedi has handled the light moments well, but he
could've kept the screenplay in check, besides making the second half as
interesting as the first. Cinematography is alright. Dialogues are the
highpoint of the enterprise.
Talking of performances, both Irrfan and Juhi vie for top honors. The
general perception about Irrfan is that he looks best in roles that
demand intensity, but the actor is a delight to watch in a role that
requires him to be witty all the while. He is simply adorable!
Juhi is first-rate yet again, although she needs to keep a check on her
weight. Among character actors, Sri Vallabh Vyas and Neena Kulkarni are
the best.
On the whole, 7 ½ PHERE is a fairly decent entertainer that holds appeal
for those who prefer light entertainers. At the box-office, 7 ½ PHERE is
more of a big city film that would've fared much better had it released
during an open week, backed by more hype.
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