eBolly's Movie Reviews
ANKAHEE
- by Viral Bhayani (eBolly.com)
BHATT'S EMOTIONAL SAGA!
Star: Aftab Shivdasani, Ameesha Patel, Esha Deol
Producer: Pritish and Rangita Nandy
Director: Vikram Bhatt
Music: Pritam
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Movie makers sure know how to market their films. From the look of the publicity material of the film Ankahee with a huge poster showing Esha Deol’s bare back, I once thought that the film is about betrayal and lust. Well there is not much sensuality on the screen except for one teeny weenie love making scene which barely catches your attention. Surely the Bhatts have been known for making great movies - their strategy is to hype films with a sense of skin show but when you got to watch the film, it turns out to be a meaningful and emotionally charged one.
Sob Sob Sob… get ready for a three hour emotional ride as you are taken through an autobiographical ride of Vikram Bhatt and supposedly Sushmita Sen. The plus point of this film is Esha Deol and the negative point to is Esha. Esha plays her grey character quite well but fails to look like any Miss World. Accepted that these days the Miss Worlds and Miss India's isn’t that wow but to tolerate the Esha Deol for whole three hours a bit too much. You are really not in the mood for a serious soap opera style film in a cinema house. Why would anybody like to watch a movie in the theatre which barely has any entertainment value but strong emotional appeal? Perhaps for few.
The narrative of the film is good but the 1st half is a bit boring. The 2nd half has a faster pace but overall the movie should have not lasted more than 2 hours Hollywood style. Not a very expensive film, the entire emphasis here is on strong emotional appeal and Bhatt succeeds in that. The movie begins with 21-year-old Hrishitha Bhatt who goes on a flashback while she was still 8-years-old and loses her father to a reckless Miss World. Sadly the flashback is technically so incorrect. Latest cars, mobile phones and laptops are shown in a flashback which never excited.
Interestingly in of the scenes you can see director Vikram Bhatt seated in a cafe.
In another scene they show Aftab's mobile having the screen name Kasoor which was his first movie with Lisa Ray.
Looks like Esha Deol's own room was used in the shoot unless they really put a huge picture of Esha especially for this film.
Photographer Subi Samuel who actually shot Esha’s first folio is actually thanked by Esha in this film.
Non of the pictures shown in the publicity material of the film is part of any scene in this film.
A lot of branding from D'Damas to Mid-Day is done though not as bluntly as Rakesh Roshan does in his films!
Both the young girl and Hrishitha Bhatt look so similar. Good casting!
Sanjay Suri was considered for a role in the movie but was later replaced with Aaftab Shivdasani.
Divya Dutta was cast for a role in the movie but was later replaced by Amisha Patel.
Was earlier titled "Aakhir". (source imdb.com)
The plot:
He committed his love to one woman. And fell in love with another.
Pritish Nandy Communications' first offering for the year is a romance unlike any other. Inspired by the events of his life, Vikram Bhatt puts to celluloid a film after his own heart, Ankahee.
The truth is that Shekhar (Aftab Shivdasani) was a common man. Happily married to his wife Nandita (Ameesha Patel) of several years. The relationship was sealed as special by the coming of their child.
They were a happy family. Till one day, the reigning Miss World and Bollywood's biggest star, Kavya Krishna (Esha Deol), walked into his hospital armed with a slit wrist and what Shekhar believed to be, true love.
Kavya was beautiful, stunning in fact. She was smart and alive and Shekhar, like the rest of the world, fell in love with her. Days hurried past as he cleared the rest of his life, his wife, his daughter, his friends, his work to make way for his love. Nothing was more important than Kavya and his need to be her constant.
Kavya Krishna. The reigning Miss World. The most beautiful woman in the world. Or maybe the most beautiful woman in a pageant of 60 girls. Bollywood's biggest upcoming star. Beautiful. Powerful.
Successful. Alone. Lonely in a world where she was the most popular woman.For her Shekhar was the lifeline, she'd always sought. Her anchor. Her man. The only person in the world who could make her happy. And Kavya wanted, needed, struggled to be happy.
Nandita, of course, was the woman stuck in the middle. Shekhar was her husband. The only man she'd ever loved. And yet, he'd found it only too easy to walk away. From her. From their home. And from Sheena, their 6 year old daughter.
Ankahee is about the truths that were left unspoken between a man, his wife and his daughter. And the lies that need to be uncovered.
It is a film about brutal love, deception, betrayal and the desperate loneliness that accompanies all three.
Final Verdict
Overall a well made film with a good narrative, but the only problem is too stretched which was not necessary. A lot of movies have both positive and negative influence on us. Ankahee is a movie which is a must for couples, after watching it you will dare not cheat on your spouse. Watching the film you don't feel so sympathetic towards Amisha as you feel she should just give divorce to his husband and start afresh.
The dialogue (written by Girish Dhamija) where Amisha tells Aftab that I'm not as beautiful as Esha is but she can surely try to better then what she is touches you. But you will find Amisha far more beautiful then Esha actually and hard to belive that Aftab would go for a sad looking Esha!
There is a strong confusion as far as the censor certificate goes. Some of the theatres are misleading with the "A", "UA" and "U" certificate. Event the cinema where I saw this film (Cinemax) had got the wrong certificate "A" on the ticket. The truth is that the censor board has given them a "U" certificate as even young children can watch this film.
Aftab after a long time has managed to bag a role of substance, this movie will surely lead him to better roles and banners. Esha plays her difficult character well, but she hardly looks as great as any Miss World in this film. Amisha was great and thankful she doe not cried much in this film because when she cries, you feel like laughing! Much better then her mediocre performance in Tathastu.
Amin Hajee (Amir Khan's best pal) plays the character of a psychiatrist quite well. The music by Pritam is also decent and there are no unnecessary songs in the film.
Recommended viewing on TV when it releases on one of the channels.