|
Starring: Tabu, Nadira Babbar, Kunnal Kapoor, Sharat Saxena and Bharat
Kapoor
Director: M F Hussain
Music: A.R.Rehman.
The film, a collaboration between India's pre-eminent artist
M.F.Hussain and his painter son Owais Husain, while constructing a
fictional story, leaves itself open to interpretations and readings by
every viewer.
The story is set in three different cities, Hyderabad, Jaisalmer and
Prague. Nawab (Raghvir Yadav), a popular novelist of Hyderabad, is
suffering from the classic case of a writer's block. Five years have
elapsed and stories of substance seem to have dried up. Almost
providentially, Nawab comes across Meenaxi (Tabu) at a traditional
qawwali ceremony. The young woman is enigmatic and individualistic.
She's not quite willing to perform the part of a passive muse but
assumes different personae to provide inspiration. She can be the
mysterious perfume trader of Hyderabad, the exotic desert bloom of
Jaisalmer and the orphaned Maria of Prague. Inexorably, she
consolidates her command over the novelist. She dismisses his renewed
attempts at writing as insubstantial and hackneyed, plunging him into
a state of deeper despair. She is scathingly critical about his story,
forcing Nawab to start on a new page all over again.
 Technically,
the film has employed a talented crew which include musician
A.R.Rehman, cinematographer Santosh Sivan (Asoka and Fiza, fame),
editor Sreekar Prasad (Dil Chahta Hai) and art director Sharmishta Roy
(K3G, Kal Ho Naa Ho).
The album concludes with two instrumentals - Cyclist's Rhythm,
featuring Sivamani (percussion) and Navin Kumar (flute), and Potter’s
Village, with Hossain Ramzy (percussion) and John Themis (strings).
The first one is reminiscent of the Tehzeeb number Meherbaan, but the
second one provides welcome variety. The film is produced under the
banner of Husain's home production 'Culture of the Streets Films'.
|
