Page 3

Madhur Bhandarkar's movie which I finally saw today is worthy of praise and not for Konkona Sen Sharma's role alone. Even the guy who plays the role of a chauffeur of one of those permanent page 3 fixtures, impresses. Apparently Madhur had initially planned the movie as seen thru the eyes of a chauffeur, (maybe the one I mention); then he decided to script it as seen thru the eyes of a journalist. Who knows how the movie may have turned out if he had stuck to his idea!

Konkona who smashed onto the scene thru Mr and Mrs Iyer essays a credible role. Tara Sharma is extremely believable as the girl from Delhi who's eager to enter bollywood. She even sounds like one of the women in Delhi! Sandhya Mridul who plays the third roomie
is a little out of sorts as the air hostess. But she's got a meaty, humorous part of the script.


Madhur Bhandarkar’s forte seems to be recreating the magic of mumbai. He starts off where he left in Chandni Bar. The landscape he creates in the movie is very real. Also the script maintains the realism with the language which is occasionally vulgar, but commonplace in today's speech. Although the characters are modeled on real life personalities such as fashion designers, none of them wear anything out of hand such as what you see in some cliched casting and accompanying costume design in most Indian movies, these days.

The soundtrack is mostly ordinary, save for 2 tracks – one each by Asha and Lata. The one by Lata (Kitni Ajeeb Rishte Hai Yahan Pe) weaves the movie around itself (much like Shubha Mudgal’s track in Raincoat). It is a virtual commentary on our own lifestyles, if one may say so – …Do Pal Milte Hai, Saath Saath Chalte Hai. How true.

I would think the Page 3 is a bigger milestone than BLACK, since I am a fan of movies which are closer to reality, unless the fantasy is something that one would dearly want, like The Lord of the Rings or for that matter, even Harry Potter. And Bollywood needs someone whose USP isn’t being pretty, alone, but can make each role she portrays her own. Good going Konkona, your momma will be proud of you.