Chandni Bar
MAIN CAST
Tabu -- Mumtaz
Atul Kulkarni -- Pothiya
Ananya Khare -- Deepa
FILM -- 5/5
Chandni Bar dedicates itself to the girls who dance for survival in the titular beer bars, establishments encased in the gritty Mumbai underworld. The bar scenes are filmed with a green-tinted filter, giving the women a worn, aged look and making the bar appear even seedier than it does in the daylight. The script is incredible, with natural dialogue and a story that never ceases to interest the viewer. My version of the film is a Moserbaer DVD, so the subtitles aren't grammatically correct, but they're easy enough to understand. The end comes so suddenly that you're still trapped in an emotional tailspin for hours afterward.
CHARACTERS -- 5/5
If there is a Bollywood actress who cannot be beaten in terms of acting prowess, it's Tabu. She brings so much life and complexity to Mumtaz with her perfect delivery, subtle body language, and powerful glances. This movie cemented Tabu's place in my heart as the best Indian actress since Rekha. Ananya Khare, who plays the seasoned dancer/prostitute Deepa, also gives a grade-A performance. Atul Kulkarni looks innocent enough when he first comes on-screen, but he begins to terrify and fascinate you an hour in to the film. It's hard to decide whether you should like Pothiya or despise him, which is the sign of some good acting. The supporting cast is absolutely incredible; not a single actor goes over the top or is miscast.
MUSIC -- 5/5
There are no songbreaks and flashy dance numbers in Chandni Bar. Instead, the soundtrack is composed of songs the girls dance to at the beer bar, as well as some background music. Seasoned Bollywood fans will recognize a lot of the filmi songs, like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam's "Nimbooda," and it adds to the jarring, uncomfortable atmosphere. Such beautiful songs from such happy movies, being projected over such sad, dismal lives! The background music is sparse, but well-written. I particularly like the music they play when Mumtaz chases after her son Abhay in the final scene.
OVERALL -- 5/5
Chandni Bar is not a happy movie. There is a lovely heroine, but she does not dress in beautiful sarees and lehengas; there is a marriage, but it is a union born of desperation and convenience rather than any sort of love; there are characters you will end up feeling deeply for, but none of them are truly satisfied with their lot in life. This movie is gut-churning, bile-inducing, and heart-wrenching, and I would whole-heartedly recommend it to all of my friends.
TOTAL SCORE -- 20/20 (perfect)
MAIN CAST
Tabu -- Mumtaz
Atul Kulkarni -- Pothiya
Ananya Khare -- Deepa
FILM -- 5/5
Chandni Bar dedicates itself to the girls who dance for survival in the titular beer bars, establishments encased in the gritty Mumbai underworld. The bar scenes are filmed with a green-tinted filter, giving the women a worn, aged look and making the bar appear even seedier than it does in the daylight. The script is incredible, with natural dialogue and a story that never ceases to interest the viewer. My version of the film is a Moserbaer DVD, so the subtitles aren't grammatically correct, but they're easy enough to understand. The end comes so suddenly that you're still trapped in an emotional tailspin for hours afterward.
CHARACTERS -- 5/5
If there is a Bollywood actress who cannot be beaten in terms of acting prowess, it's Tabu. She brings so much life and complexity to Mumtaz with her perfect delivery, subtle body language, and powerful glances. This movie cemented Tabu's place in my heart as the best Indian actress since Rekha. Ananya Khare, who plays the seasoned dancer/prostitute Deepa, also gives a grade-A performance. Atul Kulkarni looks innocent enough when he first comes on-screen, but he begins to terrify and fascinate you an hour in to the film. It's hard to decide whether you should like Pothiya or despise him, which is the sign of some good acting. The supporting cast is absolutely incredible; not a single actor goes over the top or is miscast.
MUSIC -- 5/5
There are no songbreaks and flashy dance numbers in Chandni Bar. Instead, the soundtrack is composed of songs the girls dance to at the beer bar, as well as some background music. Seasoned Bollywood fans will recognize a lot of the filmi songs, like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam's "Nimbooda," and it adds to the jarring, uncomfortable atmosphere. Such beautiful songs from such happy movies, being projected over such sad, dismal lives! The background music is sparse, but well-written. I particularly like the music they play when Mumtaz chases after her son Abhay in the final scene.
OVERALL -- 5/5
Chandni Bar is not a happy movie. There is a lovely heroine, but she does not dress in beautiful sarees and lehengas; there is a marriage, but it is a union born of desperation and convenience rather than any sort of love; there are characters you will end up feeling deeply for, but none of them are truly satisfied with their lot in life. This movie is gut-churning, bile-inducing, and heart-wrenching, and I would whole-heartedly recommend it to all of my friends.
TOTAL SCORE -- 20/20 (perfect)
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