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If you look at Haider from the perspective of a filmmaker,
you realize that the narrative is extremely complex, which has plots,
sub-plots, story outline which is borrowed from Literature (Hamlet and the
Curfewed Night) and the backdrop of the political atmosphere of Kashmir in the
year of 1995.
Performances
Given with that, you have a film with an ensemble cast of
highly talented actors – Kay Kay Menon,Irfan Khan, Tabu, Kulbhushan Kharbana
(in a short yet poignant role), Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Aamir Bashir
and a few fresh faces with effective performances like that of Narendra Jha
(Haider’s father in the film) and Sumit Kaul,Rajat Bhagat (who performed the
role of Salman look alike in the film).
With an ensemble cast like that, the script had chalked out powerful
characters who performed exceptionally well in the film. Needless to mention,
Shahid as Haider proves his metal as a serious performer and once again, a
great dancer in the dramatic choreographed song, Bismil, which is one of the
major highlights of the film.
As for Kay Kay Menon and Irfan Khan, they have sincerely
acted in the film, much like their previous films with consistent performances.
But it is the scintillating performance of Tabu as Haider’s mother, who emerges
as an enigma in the film. Her character has various shades – filled with traces
of love, betrayal, of silence, hidden loneliness (watch out for the song where
she sings the famous Kashmiri song Rosh Wala Miyane in a sad mellow tone,
creating a sense of remorse in a very ordinary scene which is made to be
extra-ordinary with subtle and sensual performance). Tabu is a treat to watch in the film. She is
mesmerizing and is seen in fine costumes designed by Dolly Ahluwalia. Shraddha Kapoor is fine in the film. Her
character could have had more depth. Perhaps, she is the one who is
overshadowed in front of characters with such challenging roles to offer.
However, one must give the credit to Shraddha for looking like a natural
Kashimiri beauty in the film. Added to that, is her soul stirring rendition of
the Kashmiri folk song along with veteran singer Suresh Wadekar.
One must give the credit to the casting director of the film
Mukesh Chhabra for casting a film with a fine balance of good performers,
bollywood stars and a few fresh faces to look out for in the film.
Music and Visuals
Vishal Bhardwaj started his career as a musician in the film
industry. Almost all his films had great musical compositions. With Haider’s
setting in Kashmir and Gulzar Sahab as a lyricist, the music of the film was to
become an out of the blue experience. Along with good music in the film, is
blended the fine cinematography by Pankaj Kumar. Pankaj Kumar, whose, previous
work includes Anand Gandhi’s Ship of Theseus, has once again created the
mesmerizing visuals in the film. The cinematography is lyrical, transcending us
to a world of paradise lost – a land of Kashmir, which God must have created
with special care, got wretched, torn and ruined in the hands of humans seeking
revenge. The editing is crisp and clear, juxtaposing images woven with drama,
action, sensuality and compassion.
Added to the visuals and stunning songs are the re-interpretation
of the beautiful verses of Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz – Careful selection of songs like Gulon mein rang bhare…sung by the fresh
artist Arijit Singh, renders a composition which transports us to the beautiful
romantic world of Kashmir and then there are songs like Do Jahaan (sung by Suresh Wadekar and Shraddha Kapoor),the peppy
number Aao Na (popular among the
youngsters), Aaj Ke Naam, which gives
a perfect conclusive ending to the film. Rekha Bhardwaj’s deep insightful voice
filled with empathy, makes the viewer leave the cinema hall with a heavy heart.
The music of the film has subsequently managed to bring out
the various emotions in the film which will subside in the senses of the
viewer.
I specifically liked the scene where Haider’s father in Jail
is singing the rebellious composition of Faiz – Hum Dekhengey, Lazim hai ki humbhi dekhenge…
This is the sign of a filmmaker who is very well read and
understands the skin of his character to include the timeless poetry in the
film.
Story, Screenplay,
Dialogues, Direction
The writing department of the film was handled by three
individuals – William Shakespeare (the invisible writer who provided the
structure and the base to the story, most importantly to the characters and the
fate of the film: primarily the three act structure – beginning, middle and end
borrowed from Hamlet, touted to be the toughest and most complex play of
Shakespeare), Basharat Peer – the celebrated novelist of Curfewed Night, which
he wrote by citing personal experiences of his days, when the political
atmosphere in Kashmir was at it’s deplorable state (the co-writer of the film)
and Vishal Bhardwaj (writer and dialogue writer of Haider).
Watch for the scene in Haider where Ghazala anxiously calls
Haider and Khurrum standing at the back, approaches towards her to say
slowly: Subah Subah Kisey Azaan De Rahi Hai Aap…
An ordinary scene, illuminated with the light of poetic
dialogues. Once again, bow down to Bhardwaj for making an extra-ordinary effort
at retrieving to bring out aestheticism in the popular Hindi cinema.
Added to that, the film has been the center of various discussions
and debates because of the political content of the film. The film has been shown from the perspective
of a Muslim Kashmiri and it is the freedom of the filmmaker to decide which
side of the story appeals to him the most, to chalk out a narrative from
it. The co-writer of the film Basharat
Peer is a Kashmiri Muslim himself and it would come naturally to him to tell a
story which is related to his community. The problem is, in a typical Bollywood
film we are so used to seeing the story of Ram and Shyam that if a film like
Haider is made, it is bound to create some controversy.
However, I must admit that the inclusion of the song post
the interval of the film, disrupted the
structure of the narrative. Perhaps, assumingly so, it must have been added to bring
about the commercial element of the film.
The direction is crisp, moving the narrative forward with
each scene. Vishal Bhardwaj knows the mis-en-scene way to well, to know the
skin of the characters. Good casting,
Amazing screenplay and story has made his task simpler as a filmmaker,but to go
and shoot the film in Kashmir, certainly required courage and passion to not
give up on the subject of the film. With Vishal bearing the hat of a director,
one can assume that the flawless direction is a work of extreme dedication,
passion and willingness to tell a story that we Indians must pay heed to.
Watch out the
picturization of the song Jhelum to see the metal of Bhardwaj’s direction…In
one song sequence, he has lyrically represented the plight of the Kashmiris
during the time of political insurgency.
Haider: A personal
note
Haider makes you
seek the answers to the questions it raises in the film. As a viewer, the film
made me aware of the things I ought to know about Kashmir. To me, it remains a
special film, in awakening my interest to research more on the issues of
J&K. The film works on creating a story which is to be seen from the eyes of
compassion. As for Vishal Bhardwaj, it is his most challenging film so far.
Technically and Visually, it is better than his previously made films and
politically, the filmmaker has matured to make a film which ends with a subtle
and provoking message: ““Inteqaam se sirf
inteqaam paida hota hai. Jab tak hum apne inteqaam se azaad nahin honge, koi
azaadi humey azaad nahin kar sakti.”
One thing is clear- to be able to pull off such a complex
film like Haider, a filmmaker needs to have the right sensibility in place.
Vishal Bhardwaj uses the canvas to paint a film, which is not only politically
relevant but artistically nuanced and commercially communicated.
When was the last time you had seen a film with such a fine
nexus of art and commerce?
Written by Sourav
Written by Sourav
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