Karthik calling Karthik..

Some days are special, because there's nothing special about them. It was just another holiday, it was just another festival not celebrated, it was just hanging out with friends - opting same menu for lunch and watching yet another movie. Everything's mundane, but every single moment is exploited to get the best out of it. Not sure, if it happens because of company one is in or one's own mood helps. But yes, a meet after a long time is something to treasure.

So, yes, I watched Karthik calling Karthik. I'm hesitating to write about it, because I'm still in awe of it. Tonight I might shower praises on it, give me two days and I'll get you the picky report possible. Also, I think I began to take a liking to Farhan Akhtar. I enjoy watching him on the screen. Luck, by chance - had a similar magic on me. And also, I'm just too amazed to see Bollywood move away from stereotypes and getting some fresh breeze for itself. I'm happy that the guy whose name is first on the credits, is no longer a super hero, a saint! He started resembling a normal, average Indian. I'm happy that women are no longer the sati savitris or run-around-trees mortals. Not that seeing an Indian woman smoke in style on the screen is a thrill. It simply reflects us. And women in film can be mean, can be disloyal. There's not much dishum-dishum as well, the wrestling with self is trying to be portrayed. The subjects Bollywood is undertaking are worth a pat. Keep going, folks!

Well, coming to the movie. The lead is a guy called Karthik and is a soul crushed under thousand and one insecurities - can't say "NO" to people, is guilty that he screwed up lives, not happy with job - and who happily lets anybody take advantage of him. More importantly, he is in love with a hot chic who is not even aware of his existence, just to add to his list of failures. (The style statement these days, probably.) Amidst the chaos, he makes sure he seeks a psychiatrist's advice. One bad day, he ends up losing his job and he has no friends to wish on his birthday, thus takes a very intellectual decision of killing himself - oops, pardon my language - he was giving himself another chance, you see. He takes a handful of sleeping pills (he has a STOCK of them) and at that very moment receives a call. Who's calling? Will that call be successful to pull this guy out of depression? Will this guy be helped or pulled into further mess? Oh, how about Deepika? - check all these on the big screen. (I guess, Karthik is a Telugu guy, his father happens to be reading "Eenadu" in his childhood. Somebody can confirm?)

It's one of those Hindi movies for me, where I love most frames of it. Say, for example, the opening frame - the guy wakes up from a nightmare, a ray of light falling on half his face and there's a drop of tear on the other half of face in dark. I liked the way sleeping pills spill out of his hand onto floor. The locales of Khandala, Kocchi were well shot. Some of the dialogues were too good. "You're a safe guy!" - the line and the follow up has raised huge roar from audience. The lines were punchy and catchy. The narration was good too, if I keep my usual complaint of too much of screen time to myself.

Finally something to nag about. This is a movie dealing with "the uncommon", but as usual in the end, they make it a "feel-good" movie - all is well, before the credits roll. For me, this guy having an unusual problem or being just a short tempered guy wouldn't have made much difference to the story. Somehow the fact that something unusual has unusual effects is comfortably and conveniently ignored, which ends up this movie as just another good movie, instead of a better one. I'm amazed with the fact that the Indian film makers never really ventured into showcasing relations on a "how-it-happens-in-daily-life" basis on the screen. I find it always superficial. (Now, please don't start with Rays and Benegals and all.)

"Karthik" happens to be one of the names I'm fascinated about. Voices are also of my fascination. Farhan Akhtar's voice was disappointing, especially over the phone.

Kudos to the team which did this film! It's thoroughly enjoyable. I liked it, though I see a wasted opportunity. As always.

Final thought: Seems like the modern day man-woman relationship is all about dealing with insecurities - of one's own and the others. You and I and we all are, nothing but a bunch of insecurities!

Go watch this movie, NOW!