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By Taran
Adarsh, May 11, 2007 - 01:00 IST
 The trend of narrating multiple stories in Hindi films
continues. SALAAM-E-ISHQ, HONEYMOON TRAVELS PVT. LTD.,
JUST MARRIED: MARRIAGE WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING and LIFE
MEIN KABHIE KABHIEE, all 2007 films, tackled multiple
stories in those 2.30/3.30 hours.
METRO charters a new path because the multiple stories
run concurrently. Also, the characters are, in some
way, linked with each other.
With METRO, director Anurag Basu proves for the third
time [after MURDER and GANGSTER] that he's an
incredible storyteller. The complexities in
relationships, the shortcuts one adopts in life to
attain the goals and the corrosion of ethics and
values have been depicted most convincingly.
Yet, METRO is no landmark film. It doesn't sweep you
off your feet…
If Anurag Basu, the director, deserves brownie points
as a storyteller, Anurag Basu, the writer, is just not
in terrific form this time around. Reason: The
culmination of a few stories, besides the unique
concept of using the 'Metro Band' in every song,
prevent the film from reaching dizzy heights.
Rahul [Sharman Joshi] works as a call centre executive
in Mumbai. He silently loves his colleague Neha [Kangana
Ranaut]. A smart young woman who has climbed the
ladder in a very short time. And hard work is not her
only secret. Because her boss, Ranjeet [Kay Kay Menon],
loves her and is willing to shower her with gifts and
opportunities… only if she is willing.
 In his 30s, Ranjeet is married to Shikha [Shilpa
Shetty] with a 6-year-old daughter. They had decided
that she should stay back at home and take care of the
house and the kid. Ranjeet ventured out on his quest
for money and success… and forgot his family somewhere
on the way. And bitterness and boredom crept into
their relationship. Soon he found solace and a fresh
lease of life in Neha.
Neglected by an indifferent husband and bogged down by
family chores, Shikha is soon attracted to Akash [Shiney
Ahuja], a struggling theatre artist whose wife
divorces him because she cannot stand his failures
anymore. Akash and Shikha's love blossoms and she
almost crosses her limits.
Amol [Dharmendra] is a 70-year-old man who returns to
India after 40 years. To spend the last few years of
his life with his first love, Vaijanti [Nafisa Ali].
The lady lives in an old-age home and is Shikha's aunt
who gives moral strength to Shikha.
Shikha's sister and Neha's room-mate, Shruti [Konkona
Sen Sharma], works at 'Radio Mirchi'. In her 30s and
still a virgin, she's desperate to get married. She is
dreamy eyed about her RJ, Wishy K [Gautam Kapoor]. She
also meets Debu [Irrfan Khan] through a matrimonial
site. She hates him. But Debu doesn't.
Now let's have a microscopic view of what works and
what doesn't…
Director Anurag Basu's handling of a few dramatic and
emotional moments is exemplary. Dharmendra's
introduction at the railway station, the tense moments
between Kay Kay and Shilpa, the entire track featuring
Irrfan and Konkona including the sequence on the rocks
[after they've shopped for Irrfan's wedding] and the
sequence when Shiney and Shilpa are about to get
physical are portions that register a strong impact.
Also, the handling of the multiple stories
concurrently is praiseworthy, for not once does
confusion prevail since so much is happening to so
many characters.
On the flip side, the culmination of a few stories
looks hurried and half-baked. The Dharmendra - Nafisa
Ali story deserved a better conclusion. The one
depicted in the film is so filmy! Similarly, Kangana
suddenly realizing that she needs to be with Sharman
in the end [she leaves Kay Kay stranded] looks
unbelievable.
 The culmination to the Shilpa - Kay Kay story is
ludicrous. Shilpa is about to leave her home when the
door bell rings and she finds her husband [Kay Kay]
staring at her. He seems repentant and one assumes he
has returned home on a rebound [Kangana has dumped
him]. Surprisingly, Shilpa goes back to the heartless
guy, bidding goodbye to Shiney, who genuinely loves
her. Wrong ending!
Another area where the film suffers is that each and
every song has the 'Metro Band' coming up from nowhere
and humming the lines. Agreed, they are good singers
and using the Band in a song or two would've been
okay, but every song? They're such a terrible put-off!
Besides, the music [Pritam] is strictly okay.
METRO is embellished with superior performances, with
Shilpa, Kay Kay, Irrfan and Konkona vying for top
honors. Shilpa delivers her finest performance thus
far, much better than her work in PHIR MILENGE. In
fact, this performance needs to be remembered when the
'Bests of 2007' are compiled during the year-end. Kay
Kay is exceptional. You hate him, detest his very
sight, all thanks to a terrific portrayal.
 Irrfan is the life of the show. You're bound to run
out of adjectives to describe this performance. He's
sure to appeal to every strata -- elite,
intellectuals, classes, masses, kids… Konkona
compliments Irrfan beautifully all through. A
brilliant performance yet again. Dharmendra is simply
superb. He makes you moist-eyed at several places.
Sharman Joshi underplays his character beautifully.
Kangana is not in form this time. Shiney Ahuja is
passable. He deserved a few more meaty scenes. Nafisa
Ali is grace personified. Gautam Kapoor is adequate.
Manoj Pahwa is okay.
On the whole, METRO could've been a path-breaking
experience, but the faulty writing throws a spanner.
At the box-office, the film caters to the multiplexes
of big cities mainly. The initial weekend business
will be encouraging at select metros, but things might
get shaky eventually.
Rating:- * * 1/2
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