Khoya Khoya Chand

Some movies define, or rather redefine passion.

Sudhir Mishra is a renowned filmmaker. His works include jaane bhi do yaaro, is raat ki subah nahin, chameli in the past. However, I became his big fan after watching Hazaar Khwaishen Aisi.



The moment the trailers of Khoya Khoya Chand were out, I knew I had to catch the movie in the 1st week itself.



Now, around 2 months after the movie, its died down, one of the bigger flops of the year.

But somewhere, it was not a bad movie. And once again a passionate movie has failed to move the audience.



What went wrong? Or rather I'll talk about the positives first.



The plot:



On paper the story looks dazzling. The real story of Meena Kumari and Kamal Amrohi, according to a confirmed source. The passion of filmmaking in the past. How they lived their entire life on movies. How actors in the past wore their hearts on their sleeve, caring nothing about the public. How 2 people so madly in love find themselves distant apart. How love finds its way back.



The screenplay and dialogues:



Some urdu words were mind blowing. I dont remember any such instances right now. The depiction of Shiney Ahuja's relationship with his father and its projection in reel life. How the writer vents his emotion through his movies.



The music:



The best music of the year I felt. Probably Jab We Met was commercially better.

Thirak Thirak Thiak Thirak...is such a happy song, but the lyrics make you wonder if its a happy moment.

"Ikrar ka Ek lamha mila...ussi waqt rootha woh zaalim waqkt"



Or my favorite "O Re Paakhi". Sonu Nigam has sung his heart out here.

"Beintaha tha jisne pyaar

Beintehaa unhe ghum diya"



Goose bumps!



Even the easy on your ears, Yeh Nigaahen, gives the feel ofthe soothing 60s.



But somehow the movie failed somewhere.

Soha Ali Khan: This is her best movie till date no doubt, but she didnt fit the role of a diva. Her character had to be the most powerful, as she takes the most bold decisions esp. as the movie is set in the '60s. The role was as powerful as "geeta" in Hazaar Khwaisehn Aisi, but I missed a power packed performance like that of Geeta's in this movie.

Shiney Ahuja: He is getting typecast into the sullen mellowed and frustrated character roles. This was similar to his characters in Gangster, Who Lamhe and Life in a Metro. Although he put in a lot of effort to show the passion for cinema and his love, there was an element of surprise needed, considering hes back with his mentor in this movie.

As a result of this slight dissapointment from the main lead, their chemistry is found wanting, either in the love making scenes or their urdu conversations. And this was the backbone of the movie on which the entire success rested.

Sudhir Mishra tried his best to take the plot from one pathos generating moment to another, evoking sad feelings to touch the audience's heart, but the actors failed to hold it.

Also, he movie needed a bit of trimming.

But eventually, I would like to salute Sudhir Mishra for his effort of keeping the flags flying high. He cares zilch about commercial success and formula films and thats the spirit required. Eventually the audiences will lap it up.