Movie Review 'Tamasha' : It’s not just a love story; it’s about a man breaking out of the box

Casting director of the film has found an apt younger version of Ranbir Kapoor, who grows up listening to legendary stories and not just love stories, from an old man (Piyush Mishra) , a storyteller, in his hometown Shimla. So convinced is the boy that he actually starts believing in them and lives his life around these stories. The director gives you enough background about Ved’s (Ranbir) childhood so that you are convinced about his mannerisms in the later part of the film. Ved meets Tara (Deepika Padukone) in Corsica and soon begins the most interesting part of love stories—the introduction phase. The part where you embrace the unknown without a care about the consequences. On this trip, the two decide that they will only lie to each other about themselves, as shown in the promo.

There is an interesting way in which Imtiaz has shaped Ved’s character in the first half. Showing him ‘filmy’ is an understatement. Ved actually breathes and lives the character he watches and introduces himself as ‘Don’ the first time he meets Tara. He mouths a few of his lines and also dances like legendary Dev Anand without making fun of the actor. Throughout this journey, the chemistry between Ranbir and Deepika is so magical that you literally get a sense of walking alongside the couple in the story. The trip ends on a very dramatic note, but that is for you to find out more about in the film. Here comes the part when Imtiaz said, ‘Why always the same story’. For the next one hour, he keeps this love story as a silent spectator and lets the larger story play the drums. That’s where he has brought out one of the finest performances from Ranbir Kapoor, perhaps better than what he was able to extract from the star in ‘Rockstar’.

Ranbir’s hidden rage, the way he enacts scenes so convincingly, tells you that when it comes to his craft, he is way ahead of his times. His madness freaks you out and you wonder how he was able switch between two personalities with so much ease. It is very difficult to bring out on screen such complex behaviour related to certain incidents in childhood. But Imtiaz only increases Ranbir’s intensity through his performance in the flow of the storyline and doesn’t spill out everything in a hurried manner. While the film revolves around the love story, Imtiaz tells you a larger story and stimulates you to start living out of the box. He tried to show a small glimpse of it in the song ‘Main Kya Hoon’ in ‘Love Aaj Kal’ featuring Saif Ali Khan. The song showed Saif, despite big achievements dealing with the monotony of his life and the emptiness within.

There are many things to talk about in the film that leaves an impact. But the beauty is, those situations might mean different things to different people. So many situations and small stories help Ved’s character arrive at a conclusion about him. One of the highlights of Ranbir Kapoor’s acting is the confrontation scene when he tells a story to his father. That emotion on his face, the tears, you actually feel sad for his situation. Before that is a scene when Ved goes outside Tara’s residence to vent out his frustration. It just shows the varied range of Ranbir Kapoor as an actor. Deepika Padukone has an amazing chemistry with Ranbir and her performance is top notch. Her emotional scenes with Ranbir are so pure and Tara is a character many will relate to.

DOP Ravi Varman has shot the film so beautifully and very rarely do you feel anything that doesn’t seem pleasing to the eye. A.R. Rahman’s music again stands out and all the songs are melodious and fit the situation. The songs play a crucial role in the film, which takes the story ahead, never once interfering with the storyline. Lyricists Irshad Kamil has also done a brilliant job of understanding what the director wants from him.

Imtiaz Ali, in this film, creates a different world and makes you believe in it till the last shot of the film. The movie isn’t a conventional love story, but every emotion has been layered with justification that only Imtiaz could pull off successfully. This ‘Tamasha’ is definitely to be seen again and again. Going by the full house that came in to see the film for a 9 am show, Ranbir Kapoor had never lost any audience despite 3 flops in row.