Posts Tagged ‘one night stand’
By Taran Adarsh, January 1, 2010 – 12:32 IST
After almost five years, accomplished actor Saurabh Shukla returns to the director’s chair with RAAT GAYI, BAAT GAYI?, a film that’s making the right buzz. Making an adult comedy that talks of one night stand is tough. But giving the serious issue a humorous take is tougher.
RAAT GAYI, BAAT GAYI? is about relationships and also looks at the philanderers, who, despite being committed, don’t mind having a PYT in a closet, for no strings attached fun.
You may draw parallels with THE HANGOVER because the protagonist can’t recall anything that happened the previous night. But it must also be said that the film throws a few surprises, which makes it completely different from any film, past or present.
BY BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COM |
But there’s one factor that throws a spanner. There’s not much meat in the story. Also, it unravels at an excruciatingly slow pace. In fact, the wheels start moving only towards the penultimate 20 odd minutes, when the answers start coming.
In a nutshell, RAAT GAYI, BAAT GAYI? offers a few laughs, not laughter unlimited!
Rahul [Rajat Kapoor] wakes up with a bad hangover after a party the night before. There, he had met a sexy young woman Sophia [Neha Dhupia]. They got drunk and there were sparks flying. But Rahul doesn’t remember what happened after that. Did they go all the way?
His wife Mitali [Irawati Harshe Mayadev] is in a particularly bad mood and Rahul suspects that she might know about his little escapade last night. Rahul starts chasing his night, trying to retrieve it, trying to find out what really happened.
His friends Saxena [Dalip Tahil] and Amit [Vinay Pathak] are going through their own marital crisis of sorts. Driven to his wits end, he realizes that he must meet Sophia again to get the answers.
Almost three decades ago, Basu Chatterjee made an adult comedy called SHAUKEEN, which told the story of three men who eye a pretty girl, who’s completely oblivious of their intentions. In this film too, director Saurabh Shukla looks at three men with a roving eye.
Sadly, the screenplay [writers: Saurabh Shukla and Rajat Kapoor] falls woefully short in terms of generating interest. In fact, till three-fourths of the movie, there’s not much movement in the story, except for a few humour-laden sequences. It also moves lethargically and is unnecessarily slack.
Ankur Tewari’s music is strictly functional. Fuwad Khan’s cinematography captures the varied moods well.
The film scores in the performance department. Every member of the cast – Neha Dhupia, Rajat Kapoor, Vinay Pathak, Dalip Tahil, Irawati Harshe Mayadev, Anu Menon, Navniit Nisshan and Aamir Bashir – deliver fine performances. Especially Rajat and Vinay. Ranvir Shorey, Makrand Deshpande and Sudhir Mishra appear in cameos.
On the whole, RAAT GAYI, BAAT GAYI? doesn’t work.
ROSHNI K OLIVERA Times News Network (BOMBAY TIMES; December 30, 2009)
What’s your take on one-night stands?
The problem with one-night stands is that you end up hurting so many people. As long as you are not hurting any one, it’s fine.
In Raat Gayi Baat Gayi you have a onenight stand with a married man…
There are seven characters in the film! Why do you assume it’s my character who’s had the one-night stand? Are you assuming that because I am attractive… Not fair!
Do you think the Indian audience is opening up to sex in movies?
Dev D was a big hit. Indian audiences are open to fantastic scripts. Raat Gayi… is a funny kind of a thrilling experience that takes you through a drunken night. You don’t really know what happened last night. The film is packed with a lot of emotions and it is very relatable. You can relate to one or the other character.
You’ve done movies of various genres… what’s your favourite?
It’s very hard for me to say that. Right from my roles in Singh Is Kinng, De Dana Dan, Mithya, Ek Chaalis Ki Last Local to Raat Gayi Baat Gayi, everything is challenging and at the same time everything is easy. I don’t over-intellectualise the whole acting medium. I’m not working because I have to work. I’m working because I really enjoy doing so.
Are you happy with the way your career has shaped up so far?
I am. I had made a few mistakes, but I don’t regret anything. They have been learning experiences. I have come a long way, but I also have a long way to go…