Mirzya
Year: 2016
Director: Rakaysh Omprakash Mehra
Cast: Harshvardhan Kapoor, Saiyami Kher, Anuj Chaudhary

Rakaysh Omprakash Mehra’s track record as a film-maker has shown wide fluctuations. The brilliant Rang De Basanti was followed by the dud Delhi 6 and now after the engrossing Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, comes a snooze-fest Mirzya. Yes, I hate to break it at the onset itself but then, this much awaited romantic saga is nothing but a glossy lifeless affair!

What’s the plot?

Puppy-love between two school-going children, (a rich police inspector’s daughter and his servant’s son), goes bust when the boy does something stupid and pays the penalty. After years of separation, the girl, now a young woman (Saiyami Kher), comes back with a foreign degree and is all set to marry a Rajasthani royal descendent (Anuj Chaudhary). Fate has something else in mind. Unknown to her, the lost friend (Harshvardhan Kapoor) is about to re-enter her life. Will the childhood love be rekindled? Will the star-crossed lovers ever unite?

What’s hot?

·       Great locations and superb cinematography make this film a visual feast.

·       Shankar-Ehsan-Loy’s music is good.

·       The choreography is eye-catching.

What’s not?

·       Gulzar returns to screenplay writing after years but comes up with an unconvincing and emotionally weak modern-day adaptation of the legendary tragic romance of Mirza-Sahiban. The characters and relationships seem half-baked.

·       Rakaysh Omprakash Mehra uses ‘the past fading in and out of the present’ device (that he so effectively employed in Rang De Basanti and even in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag); but here the floating flashbacks where the ancient romance is shown in some indeterminate mythical settings do not add anything to the narrative. Instead they seem labored, incongruous and confusing in the whole scheme of things.

·       The same can be said about the myriad song-and-dance sequences breaking out at the drop of the hat in theatrical style.

·       The newcomer lead actors Harshvardhan Kapoor and Saiyami Kher do not display either the histrionic skills or the likeability factor required to pull off such an ambitious film.

·       The supporting cast, too deliver wooden performances.

Verdict

Coming from big names like Gulzar and Mehra, Mirzya is a huge disappointment. It is a boring, confusing film that lacks passion and emotion. It is a big money, big screen venture that tries to ride on technical excellence but fails to touch the hearts and stir the souls. The lackluster performances from newcomers and veterans alike, further compound the tale of woes!

Rating

2 stars