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 By
Taran Adarsh, October 12, 2007 - 16:43 IST
It's like traveling back home. You know the route, you
know the signal, you know the lane, you know the speed
breaker and you know the destination.
That's applicable for LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG too. 10
minutes into the film and you know what the story is,
you can even guess the twists and turns the story may
take and you can [successfully] read what the climax
would be. Predictability -- that bogs LAAGA CHUNARI
MEIN DAAG down.
Sure, it isn't blasphemous if a new product bears a
striking similarity to themes that have been
translated on celluloid several times in the past. But
the grip -- so vital in a film that has a story to
tell -- is clearly missing here.
LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG appeals in bits and spurts.
It's well shot and is backed by striking performances,
but the graph of the film lacks uniformity. It holds
your attention, then it doesn't.
To sum up, LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG fails because of
its writing. It has an oft-repeated theme and coupled
with inept writing, the chances are very dim!
 Badki
[Rani Mukerji] and Chutki [Konkona Sen Sharma] live a
fun-filled life in Banaras, playing pranks, sneaking
off to see a forbidden mujra [Hema Malini, in a
special appearance] and soaking up all the excitement
that goes on the ghats of the Ganga. Badki is aware
that the family is in dire straits, but she and her
mother [Jaya Bachchan] protect Chutki at all costs.
When things get worse, Badki decides to go to Mumbai
and seek a living for the family. Alone and
unsupported in the midst of the urban jungle of
Mumbai, Badki battles with dark forces, keeping her
focus on her purpose to support her family and
continue Chutki's education. She deliberately morphs
into someone else, leading a secret life full of murky
compromises.
When Chutki comes to Mumbai to work, things take a
dramatic turn. Badki's life turns into a minefield, as
she has to hide her secrets from Chutki. Chutki finds
success at work and love that delights her heart.
Badki finds the magic of love, but lets it slip away
before it can blossom, as she believes it's not in her
destiny. She battles menace and blackmail alone, not
letting these dark shadows fall on Chutki or her
family.
But her dual life is revealed and the two sisters are
face to face, in a confrontation neither had expected.
And when love beckons Badki again, the whole family is
thrown in a tumultuous storm. Everything threatens to
explode in their faces, destroying all of them.
 LAAGA
CHUNARI MEIN DAAG has a promising start. Portions
depicting the financial difficulties plauging a family
are convincingly depicted. Everything's in control
till Rani decides to become an escort. The question
here is, when Suchitra Pillai is giving Rani a
makeover, why does she encourage her to become a high
class hooker? Why not a model? Or why doesn't she goad
her to hone her skills [learn English, computers et
al, since those are the reasons why Rani is refused
job after job]? Why encourage her to be someone when
the pure soul is just not convinced about? Why?
Doesn't it send out wrong signals to people who face
roadblocks in life? Is that [prostitution] the only
alternate profession you can take to in crisis?
The film dips further when Rani, now a polished,
angrezi-speaking mem, meets Abhishek in an aircraft
and the [one-sided] prem kahani begins. And then the
treacherous cousin [Sushant Singh] arrives in Mumbai,
blackmailing her. Hello, how did he, sitting in
Benaras, know Rani's 'rate for a night' and her
'profession'. No explanations are offered!
The second hour is interesting in parts. The sequence
when Konkona catches Rani red-handed is excellent.
Also noteworthy are the portions when the two sisters
return to Benaras. Things start looking up, but,
suddenly, Abhishek re-emerges on the scene and the
Abhishek - Rani prem katha re-ignites. Nahin, maza
nahin aaya. Also, the treacherous jodi of Tinnu Anand
and Sushant Singh comes back, but this track looks
forced. The duo is used as mere props.
 Pradeep
Sarkar knows how to make the frames look beautiful,
but how one wishes he would've opted for an absorbing
story and most importantly, stuck to the principal
characters, instead of adding sub-plots [romance,
songs, relatives]. Cinematography is splendid.
Dialogues deserve special mention. Shantanu Moitra's
music is a mixed bag. 'Hum To Aise Hain Bhaiya' is the
best of the lot.
Rani excels yet again. It's a pleasure watching her in
an author-backed role yet again. Konkona is fantastic.
In fact, she lends a lot of freshness to her
character. Jaya Bachchan is superb. Her work is truly
admirable. Abhishek Bachchan's extended special
appearance makes no impact. Kunal Kapoor is likable.
Anupam Kher is alright. Tinnu Anand and Sushant Singh
suffer due to ill-defined roles. Kamini Kaushal, Murli
Sharma, Harsh Chhaya, Tarana, Suchitra Pillai and
Ninad Kamat enact their parts well.
On the whole, LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG stands on a
shaky script and has all chances of slipping, not
consolidating its position. At the box-office, given
the inconsistent content on one hand and the poor
opening on the other, the film will prove a major
setback.
Rating:- *
1/2
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