Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s most recent film, Guzaarish or Request, is just as much as a sparkle spectacle as his other films. The art direction is slightly more muted, but is replaced with a bohemian flair reminiscent of Baz Luhrman’s Moulin Rouge, with deep wine reds and midnight blues.
A retired, quadriplegic magician turned radio host named Ethan (Hrithik Roshan), feels that it is time to end his life. He’s been living as a quadriplegic for several years after a tragic magic trick accident. Ethan decides to make a plea to the Indian governmemt for euthanasia, as well as publicize the issue on his radio show. For this campaign, he has his caregiver/ lawyer to fight for euthanasia legalization. Meanwhile, Ethan decides to pass on his tricks from the trade to eager apprentice Siddiqui (Aditya Roy Kapoor) and provide a refuge for his other caregiver, the vulnerable Sophia D’Souza (Aishwariya Rai), who has a abusive ex-husband.
This film varies from other Bollywood because of the strong political agenda that carries the film, presenting different perspectives about assisted suicide from the main characters and many anonymous characters as well. I began to feel like I was watching a documentary where lots of people were discussing their views on a controversial issue. My opinion is that you can’t really make an entertaining, fictional agenda pushing film. The fiction and the controversy collide and make a less compelling story. I would be more interested to see a film telling a story, instead of debating if a character should live or die. The story, characters and art direction choices would be important in helping the audience relate to the issue. Guzaarish, on the other hand, distracts the audience with the sparkly art direction, does not provide relatable characters and lacks making the story from an individual standpoint. These elements are replaced by formal debates of the issue.
Bhansali has the impeccable ear for music and tremendously gifted eye for creative aesthetics, but his characters and content need some improvement. I have seen all of his movies. His first film, Khamoshi blended into mainstream Bollywood so it was not until Devdas did he make a name for himself. I truly loved Devdas, if not solely for the captivating art direction, which I will admit and did not mind that he distracted me from the fact that he remade the film from the 1950’s film with Dilip Kumar.
Even though I allowed myself to be swept away in the sparkly world, we can compare the character development in both by looking at the two clips. Aishwariya conveniently is the leading lady for both films, so we will use clips with her.
DEVDAS:
AND GUZAARISH:
I like that Bhansali creates gorgeous films, but would like to see him focus on the meat of a good picture, like plot and character (even though I will admit I own “Saawariya” for pure glitter awe factor and the plot puts me to sleep). I want a reason to keep watching, not just be submerged gleefully in shiny.
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