http://ww.smashits.com/news/bollywood/movie-review/6140/provoked.html
Besides, 'Provoked' has music by A R Rehman, who is adept to compose tunes for these kinds of films. He lifts the ambience for the film and sets the right mood for different situations. *PROVOKED IS A MUST WATCH FILM* By Pankaj Shukla - Eye TV India Bureau *Critic's I-view* click for larger view<http://ww.smashits.com/news/bollywood/movie-review/6140/provoked.html#>A superstar reaches the sets of another super star's film, misbehaves with the heroine and then bangs when his car is intercepted. Later, this angry star reaches the heroine's place, bangs her door, shouts in the darkness of night, gets drunk and does everything to cause torture to her. Cut to London. A girl from Punjab is married to a young NRI. She reaches her new home with many dreams and aspires for a new life full of spare time to watch rainbow every morning. Alas, her dream is cut short by her husband who is linked with other girls and to wine. Don't the two stories resemble much? Both are related with violence against women. While the first one decides to end the relationship silently and take solace in the arms of another star of the industry, the latter decides to teach a lesson to her husband and burns him alive. The common factor in both the stories is Aishwarya Rai. In the first story, Aish was the real character and in the second she plays one on screen in this week's film 'Provoked'. 'Provoked' is based on the real life incidents of Kiranjeet Ahluwalia, who symbolizes domestic violence in Britain. click for larger view<http://ww.smashits.com/news/bollywood/movie-review/6140/provoked.html#>'Provoked' is based on a novel's story that describes turbulence in the life of Kiranjeet Ahluwalia. Aishwarya plays Kiranjeet in the film. Kiranjeet was in India recently on a short trip with film's director Jag Mohan Mundhra (He has cut his name short to Jag Mundhra). When I met Kiranjeet , she looked like any ordinary Indian woman settled abroad. She speaks good Punjabi and also English with British accent. click for larger view<http://ww.smashits.com/news/bollywood/movie-review/6140/provoked.html#>Not many know that she learnt the first lesson of this foreign language in prison. When I asked her about her reaction when she saw 'Provoked' for the first time, she couldn't speak anything. Her eyes were moist and her face showed pain. She took time to be normal again and then praised Aishwarya for being able to do a role that required hard labor. She feels that Aishwarya has been experiencing the same pain though not as much as she had , when Jag Mundhra offered her this role. click for larger view<http://ww.smashits.com/news/bollywood/movie-review/6140/provoked.html#>You may recall that Aishwarya has worked in 'Shaheed-23rd March 1931' and in the role of Bhagat Singh's fiancée. That girl also suffers a lot, but her story is still untold. Kiranjeet suffered in an educated society of Britain. She is part of today's world. Her story is of a dream shattered. Aishwarya plays this battered Punjabi housewife having two children. She is unable to cope up with the changed face of life. Naveen Andrews plays her husband again as he played in 'Pride And Prejudice', too. He plays Deepak Ahluwalia who is an alcoholic and over-possessive. He gives a damn to her wife. Every time Kiranjeet tries to escape, he will find her and beat him more brutally. One day, Kiranjeet gets fed up and kills her husband by burning him alive. click for larger view<http://ww.smashits.com/news/bollywood/movie-review/6140/provoked.html#>She is charged with murder and sent to jail, where she meets a cellmate Veronica Scott (Miranda Richardson) who is in fact a stepsister of Lord Edward Foster (Robbie Coltrane), a highly respected queen's counsel. What started just as a sign of sympathy soon turns out to be a public outrage? The case is picked up by an organization called Southall Black Sisters. They start a crusade for justice to Kiranjeet and so much was the impact of their movement that the British Legal System had to change its verdict. The law is changed and Kiranjeet is set free to live happily ever after with her kids. click for larger view<http://ww.smashits.com/news/bollywood/movie-review/6140/provoked.html#>This isn't an easy story to make a film like 'Provoked' on it. But, Jag Mundhra who won laurels in his last 'Bawandar' also on atrocities against women has tried hard and succeeded this time. First, he managed to convince Aishwarya Rai to do this role. Aishwarya didn't have the dates: she said she could give just 38 days and Mundhra completed it during that period. The pain in Kiran's story provoked Jag Mundhra to film it. These kinds of films can be made with zeal and passion only. No director can make this film with Aishwarya without months of planning, but Mundhra has done it. Kudos to him !. click for larger view<http://ww.smashits.com/news/bollywood/movie-review/6140/provoked.html#>Significantly, 'Provoked' is going to be the last film of Aishwarya Rai. After all, she would within weeks be married with Abhishek Bachchan and then known as Aishwarya Bachchan. This year has been very lucky for her ; she has had two releases this year (first being 'Guru'), and comes out with hundred percent results. Aishwarya has done wonderful work in 'Provoked'. Those who thought 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' was the pinnacle of her career, might have to change their opinion. She slips in the skin of Kiranjeet so easily. click for larger view<http://ww.smashits.com/news/bollywood/movie-review/6140/provoked.html#>Naveen Andrews also acts well and as an alcoholic husband does justice to his role. Nandita Das in a brief but powerful role leaves her impression on the audience. The viewers want more films from you, Nandita, come out of your hibernation, please. Besides, 'Provoked' has music by A R Rehman, who is adept to compose tunes for these kinds of films. He lifts the ambience for the film and sets the right mood for different situations. The film will go in the history as a landmark for all the people associated with it. A must watch for the weekend.
