Release date:
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May 30, 2014
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Director:
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Hansal Mehta
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Cast:
Language:
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Rajkummar Rao,
Patralekha, Manav Kaul
Hindi
|
Is integrity a luxury only the well-off can
afford? Or is it one of life’s basic necessities? Hansal Mehta’s Citylights throws up these questions as
it tells the heart-rending story of Deepak Singh (Rajkummar Rao, earlier known
as Rajkumar Yadav) who brings his wife (Patralekha) and little daughter to
Mumbai, to escape their difficult lives in Rajasthan – because in Mumbai koi bhooka nahin sota, or so he’s heard.
Citylights is the official
Hindi remake of Metro Manila, which
was Britain’s entry in the Best Foreign Language Film category for Oscars 2014.
The neatly Indianised Bollywood version – with a screenplay by Ritesh Shah – is
co-produced by Fox Star Studios and Vishesh Films. It’s nice to see the Bhatt
family banner doing a legitimate remake of a foreign film, instead of sneakily
lifting as it has done with impunity so many times in recent years. Nicer still
to see them depart from the jisms and
unabashed spice that are now their staple, to return to the grit and reality
that was once their mainstay. Most of all, it’s lovely to see Mehta and Rao teaming
up once again, so soon after the legal drama Shahid deservedly earned them this year’s National Award for Best Director
and Best Actor.
Little people getting swallowed up by the big bad
city has been a favourite theme in Bollywood since the beginning of time. What Mehta
brings to the story is a searing sadness, a smooth transition into suspense
thriller mode towards the end, and wonderful performances all woven into a film
that draws occasional smiles despite its grimness.
Ironically, Mehta’s film shares its name with the
1931 romantic comedy directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin as a tramp in
love with a poor, blind flower seller who mistakes him for a millionaire. Chaplin’s
City Lights is a world away from Bollywood’s
2014 Citylights, although extreme
poverty forms the backdrop for both stories.
Rao has completely invested himself in the role of
the painfully innocent Deepak who is a far cry from the confident human-rights
lawyer he played in Shahid. His
Deepak is a man you desperately want to protect as he hugs his knees to
himself, falters while trying to cross a scarily crowded street, can barely
look in his wife’s direction when he sees her for the first time at work in a
dance bar, clashes with her in a drunken state and finally reveals his gradually
wilting spirit. His standout moment though comes during a job interview when he
mechanically rattles off a joke to please a potential employer, in one of the
film’s most memorable scenes. If ever there was a babe in the woods in Hindi
cinema, it is Rao’s Deepak Singh.
Having said that, for me the star of Citylights from among a spotless supporting
cast is the very attractive Manav Kaul. This theatre and film actor-director played
Omi’s politically ambitious, communal Bittu Mama in last year’s Kai Po Che. Here he is Deepak’s mentor
at an armoured transport firm; a charming, smooth-talking fellow who does not
realise that he too is a pawn in the hands of the bustling metropolis. Kaul is naturally
gifted and knows how to play with his striking eyes. It would be nice to see
him more often in larger roles on screen.
As it happens, the most compelling scenes in Citylights – best written, best directed
and best acted – are the ones featuring Rao and Kaul together. The film is not
without its failings though. The writing of Deepak’s wife Rakhi is weak and she
feels like a distant figure almost throughout. This is a major lacuna,
considering that Rakhi and their child are the centre of his existence. Besides,
in the few scenes that don’t gloss over her, newcomer Patralekha shows that she
has the acting chops to have handled a more meaty character. The daughter is
given such short shrift that she almost seems like a mirage.
The film also slips up in its use of music.
Mehta’s otherwise matter-of-fact storytelling style enhances the appeal of this
intrinsically moving story; the music, however, occasionally feels like an
effort to emotionally manipulate the viewer. To be fair, Citylights has some beautiful songs by composer Jeet Gannguli that are
great as standalone numbers. In fact, Muskurane
ki vajah tum ho in Arijit Singh’s haunting voice is on repeat play on my
laptop as I write this review, but within the film the songs end up hampering the
narrative in places.
That being said, long after the music has faded
and the credits have rolled past, it’s hard to shake off the wretched despondency
that Citylights leaves in its wake. It’s
impossible not to picture yourself in the Catch-22 situation the hero finds himself
in, to wonder what you might have done. The twist in the end, authored by a
character who seemed incorruptible at the start of the film, is enough to induce
a lingering ache even in a heart of stone. “How far will you go for the love of
your family?” are the words flashing on screen during the trailer. The answer
comes in the form of a very affecting, powerful film.
Rating
(out of five stars): ***1/2
CBFC Rating (India):
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U/A
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Running time:
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127 minutes
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Film still courtesy: Effective Communication
Videos courtesy: BollywoodTrade PR:
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