You don't let me speak.

I've never particularly understood the idea of going into a movie with high, or low, expectations. I don't think I do. I mean I find myself watching both inane and considerably better movies on the same night. I believe you probably need to give it all a chance. Even Ram Gopal Verma. Maybe.

I think Hindi cinema today needs a couple of chances. What with the herd of newbies on the block. Amazingly, most of them don't seem to be finding their way through the ropes and trials of an otherwise unforgiving industry.

First with Ayan Mukherjee and Wake Up Sid, then Abhishek Chaubey and Ishiqiya, both comfortable performances by debutants. In strolls in another.

Vijay Lalwani, the story goes, spent some time on his script for Karthik Calling Karthik before the likes of Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani garrisoned the troops for him. The key to the movie, now that I've seen it, is not just the story, but its treatment.

Karthik Calling Karthik is an almost surrealistic exploration of the life of a psychologically-challenged protagonist. This is no spoiler, mind you. If you are not capable of catching this bit at the very beginning of the movie, the treatment of the rest of the story is probably not for you. It is never a well kept secret that Karthik Narayanan has problems. The story keeps you hovering over all that unravels and slumps due to the illness. Lalwani's intention, from my understanding is to keep you on Karthik's toes. His highs, his lows and else, from his eyes. The screenplay paces itself most uniquely, dragging through the inevitable rings of the phone and racing through his love for Deepika Padukone's character. Allowing to wallow in the lows and never allowing the freedom to dance in the highs, a strong reminder, which you'd probably catch while viewing the movie, that you're always expecting the next call. Always.

Do not go by what anyone tells you about this movie. Not even me. You need to watch this one for yourself.

Personally, I'd ask Vijay Lalwani to take a bow. Farhan Akhtar leaves me in awe. He is, most surprisingly, an actor of amazing depth. I dearly hope he keeps at his directorial skill but in no way is he letting anyone down, leave alone himself. Deepika Padukone, I add, looks better with every movie and more significantly, has shown she can do what she's put out there to do. And well.

We are in quite the era of Hindi cinema, transitional, reformative and daring even, and no one seems to notice.


(Credits: Tarun Menon)