http://www.xpress4me.com/life/reviews/cinema/20012025.html Delhi-6: Mehra deserves a bow despite monkey business
By Mazhar Farooqui, Leisure Editor A hideous *kala bandar* and not Masakali ruffles feathers in *Delhi-6*. Because while our genial kabootar does no more than just matak and coo, the monstrous creature performs daring sorties and actually becomes instrumental in putting across the message of co-existence when communal passions soar and tempers fray in the walled Indian capital. Get that? This monkey business might get director Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra critical acclaim, but the chances of it jumpstarting the movie's fortunes at the box office are narrower than some of the bylanes of Chandni Chowk, which forms the backdrop of the film. Mehra redefined Hindi cinema with *Rang De Basanti*. In *Delhi-6*, he may have left the majority of his audience at sixes and sevens. A la* Aks* (his directorial debut), they just couldn't connect with the movie's theme. But that's not suggesting it's wishy-washy or insipid, because regardless of how it fares commercially, *Delhi-6*will still go down as a great movie, perhaps one of the finest in recent times, and for that Mehra deserves a bow. * Read report on Delhi-6's Dubai premiere<http://www.xpress4me.com/life/pulse/bollywood/20012012.html> Roshan (Abhishek Bachchan), an American citizen of Indian origin, flies down to India with his ailing grandmother (Waheeda Rahman) for the first time and is instantly taken in by the sights and sounds of a hyperkinetic and maddening Delhi. Despite all the chaos --- traffic that snarls up because a cow is in labour, power cuts and a mysterious monkey man churning panic and sending rumour mills and television news channels into overdrive, he finds himself forging a bond with the metropolis. The journey from within (that's the tagline, in case you missed it) begins. It's no plain sailing alright, but initially, it's not too bumpy either. If Roshan is not gorging on *jalebis* at Mamdu's shop in the neighbourhood or playing pool at affable Al Baig's (Rishi Kapoor) place, he is clicking pictures from his cellphone -- a blatant plug for Motorola which Abhishek endorses. Amid all this, he's falls in love with Bittu (Sonam) -- a rebellious aspiring singer, who wants to become the next Indian idol, but much like her fettered- feathered friend Masakali, can't break free. A Bollywood pigeon devoid of any letter-despatching or gun snatching abilities! Give me a beak.. err. break.. What's wrong with our script writers? Cutting back to the story, his family background notwithstanding (his father is Hindu ad his mother, Muslim) Roshan is completely absorbed in Delhi's unique culture. He goes to the temple and also offers prayer at the mosque. But fate and the mysterious Monkey Man ordains otherwise. In Guru, Abhishek had to create Gurukant Desai. But Delhi-6's Roshan is pretty much him, because much like his character in the movie, he also spent much of his childhood abroad. "There was that instant connect. If anybody could have done justice to the role, it had to be me" Abhishek said during an interview with XPRESS on Wednesday. And he was right. Sonam was a revelation. A modest appreciation of her acting skills forbade her from making Bachchan-like claims, but one won't be surprised if she walks away with all the honours. Vijay Raaz as the corrupt policemman is brilliant as are Om Puri, Divya Dutta, Pawan Kumar, Atul Kulkarni and Amitabh Bachchan who has a cameo. Fast facts The biggest highlight of the movie: AR Rahman's music. Overall verdict: Don't go with too many expectations and you may like it, especially if you are from north India. Trivia: The film's title is based on the postal code of old Delhi which is 1100-06 -- -A http://viewsnmuse.blogspot.com
