DIRECTOR Imtiaz Ali delivers Bollywood’s finest film for 2015. An intensely gripping romantic drama about living your truth, following your dreams and being passionate about life, the film features brilliant performances by its lead pair, arguably two of the most talented artistes in Bollywood.
Starting off in the idyllic setting of Corsica in France, we meet two holidaymakers brought together by fate and whose journey takes them to various parts of India and finally Japan. But instead of following the norm of introductions and a potential holiday romance, the male suggests they assume identities and live it up, as they’ll never meet again. So follows a series of wonderfully constructed set ups as the couple assume identities of Bollywood characters and send it up royally. Predictably, there is a mutual attraction and despite their initial assurances that they will not allow romantic notions to spoil the funny, it does lead that way. Fast forward to a few years later and fate brings them together again. The girl, who cannot forget about her holiday fantasy and the amazing fun loving adventurous guy, meets up with him again in Delhi. She is there for work and discovers that he works in the city. Excited to pick up where they left off, she discovers the “real” him, an average office worker in an engineering firm, leading a pretty humdrum existence. However, she believes that the holiday persona is in fact the real him, which sparks a rebellion in his attitude and ultimately a search for his truth.
Ali is one of India’s most dynamic filmmakers. His previous films like Rockstar, Jab We Met and Highway infused a sense of Bollywood melodrama with stark realism. He hits the mark with a wonderfully written screenplay and has developed characters with great depth, even in the supporting cast. You will identify totally with their lives and feel for them as they face all too familiar challenges. Both Kapoor and Padukone shine with abundant talent. You’ll shed a tear more than once and cheer them on too. The film is filled with many moments to cherish. Technically, S Ravi Varman’s cinematography is superb, while Aarti Bajaj’s creative editing keeps the pace moving smoothly. Oscar winner AR Rahman’s music score and song compositions add great value to the film. Ali employs many unique creative techniques in telling the story which aid the film and the viewers enjoyment of it immeasurably.
Tamasha is an intelligent film offering fun, fantasy and a deep sense of realism. It’s a must see for everyone.