“Aye dil hai mushkil jeena yahan, Zara hat ke zara bach ke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaan” A Mohd Rafi classic, which has its soothing effect till date. Sharing the title and the spirit with the song is the film ‘Mumbai Meri Jaan‘. The movie leaves you with a similar feeling in the hearts when you walk out of the theater. For two hours and odd, the movie attempts bringing to life the emotions and lives around the serial train blasts on July 11,2006. Mumbai Meri Jaan is a pleasant, low-key drama about the healing power of mumbaiyya lifestyle. While one could argue that is has long time since such a “real-life-inspiration” theme was in vogue in bollywood. It makes for an effective background to the story of how six different individuals, when caught in midst of a bitter incident such as a bomb blast handle the stress, the pain, the suspicion, the arrests, the media coverage associated with living in the city after that.
Mr.Nishikant Kamat is successful in holding your mind and heart for the whole period you are in the hall. He brings to you six different stories and so beautifully. Theres the usual muslim bashing Kay Kay Menon (His second Anti muslim character after Shaurya), who suspects all Muslims for terrorists. He has got a story where he thinks some of the allah’s guys around are responsible for the blasts and his pursuits for them. Then there is the TV reporter Soha Ali Khan (She is better off with such off beat movies only) a typical TV reporter who is hellbent to make anything a sensational news for her Channel. But the table has turned and she is found on the other side. When she finds out that that her ‘Would have been’ husband is one of the victims, She is made to answer the very questions which instead she would be have been mouthing otherwise Questions like ‘Aaap Ko Kaisa Lag raha hai’ . Irrfan Khan is a madraasi road side tea waala, a looser who has a longing for costly perfumes and other lavishes. He also finds pleasure and fun by hoaxing bombs at places he has a less likings for. Madahavan has a great respect for his country and is a person with values. He ends up as a survivor only to develop a fear in his mind which he tries to fight hard with his pregnant wife. Saving the best for the last, Paresh Rawal. Vijay Maurya is the the confused policeman who has been living his life meaninglessly at the cop station trying to make some easy bucks. He is is due to be retired in a week. He tells you the version of the story depicting the situation of cops at the lower level. All the stories are weaved around the bomb blast, and how different people react,act and finally realize some facts about life which they would have never otherwise. Any more detail on this and I will be doing injustice to Kamaths effort. Watch it for the spirit and watch it to witness some good film making. One can actually feel the bite and smell the spirit of Mumbai in the movie.
The characters are well sculpted, the camerawork and the background score is brilliant too and hence the film is able to hold the viewer’s attention even though the stories are minimal and free of melodrama and all the halla. There are certain actors that, when they appear in a film, are almost invariably indicators that the production is of high quality. They are an elite few, with names like Paresh Rawal, Kay Kay Menon, Irrfan Khan, and Madahavan. Considering some of the roles that Paresh Rawal has played during his celebrated career (Hera Pheri, Hungama and the likes for example), it would be hyperbole to say that he gives the “Best performance of a lifetime” in Mumbai Meri Jaan…or would it?
With movies like Aamir, the jaane Tu’s, Rock On’s hitting and hitting hard, and some like Ghajini waiting behind the curtains, the year seems to have woken up in its second half and for the good.
My Rating: 3.5/5
Nice review. I have wanted to watch the movie, now my intentions are stronger. Bollywood definitely needs movies with substance. Sounds like this one has it.
A must watch movie. No high drama nor fancy herogiri. Simple but heart touching movie. though the movie revolves around a bomb blast, it addresses many other social and environmental issues. Paresh Rawal is outstanding with his observational comedy. Director has done an exceptional job in extracting Irfan’s talent without a single dialogue. I like the climax of the movie and the Mohd. Rafi’s old classic song which sooths in the 2 min silence.
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