Rani Mukerji, too, never looked this good. The colours are vivid, unrelenting and addictively rich. Girls in blood red cholis titter excitedly against vast golden sands, as an electric blue bird chirps past them. Rajasthan's colours are magnified to an awesome extent, every shot coordinated to the hilt. Real life, as we ingloriously witness after reluctantly exiting the theatre, never looked this good. Watching Paheli is quite an experience, and it's from the very opening shot of the film that its sheer, magical palette overwhelms us.Īnd we are immediately aware that we are witnessing a dream. Each frame of the film is picture-perfect, marinated in intoxicating colour. Ravi K Chandran's cinematography is spellbinding as he casts us into the fabulous sandscapes of Rajasthan with fluid harmony. Amol Palekar has crafted a delectable fairytale that is incredibly well-shot. However the slow pace and overflow of songs negatively affect the end result.įirst things first, this is the best-looking Indian film in a very long time, and ranks up there with the finest ever. Bollywood is often described as ‘escapist entertainment’ and this film undoubtedly takes the viewer into a whole new world.
Paheli certainly offers something different to the audience. Rajpal Yadav is a scene-stealer once again thanks to his comic ability. Juhi Chawla and Sunil Shetty, playing husband and wife, are okay in their special appearances, although they are slightly wasted. Unfortunately it’s another character without much prominence and the legendary actor needs to become more selective. Amitabh Bachchan does very well in his small role. Its little wonder she’s considered one of the most dependable female performers in Bollywood. Rani Mukherji also handles her role effortlessly, performing the various emotions of the character with élan. His subtle performance is very effective. There’s a definite improvement in his handling of two simultaneous characters, compared to the actor’s earlier effort in Mahesh Bhatt’s Duplicate. Shah Rukh Khan tackles a double role once again in Paheli. The music is pleasant enough, but the songs fail to leave a lasting impression and at least one or two songs could be deleted altogether. The constant supply of songs certainly doesn’t help the narrative. However the story is too slow, especially in the second half. Even the use of special effects is discreet and works well. The treatment of the story, together with the performances of Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukherji are subtle. Despite the implausible subject (a married woman having a sexual affair with a ghost and actually conceiving a child with the spirit), the film doesn’t go overboard. However his approach is still expertly restrained. Director Amol Palekar truly embraces this imaginative and colourful setting without making any apologies for tossing realism aside.
The story of Paheli takes the audience into a pure fantasy world. When the real Kishen finally returns, confusion understandably abounds until finally a wise old shepherd (Amitabh Bachchan) devises the three tests to resolve the paheli that has baffled everyone. The ghost wastes no time in telling Lachchi the truth about his identity and she wastes no time in accepting their relationship, which eventually leads to her pregnancy. However a ghost (Shah Rukh Khan) has fallen in love with Lachchi’s beauty and therefore takes the appearance of her absent husband. The aspiring businessman leaves home for a five-year business trip shortly after the wedding night itself, leaving behind a heart-broken wife. In true fairytale style, Paheli tells the story of Lachchi (Rani Mukherji), an innocent girl married to Kishen, whose only real interest is making money. Therefore it’s hardly surprising the audience is expecting something special in their latest film together Paheli, which also stars the likes of Juhi Chawla, Amitabh Bachchan and Sunil Shetty in small roles. They have appeared in a variety of blockbusters together, from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham to Chalte Chalte and Veer Zaara. Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukherjee, Juhi Chawla, Suniel Shetty, Anupam Kherīollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has formed a hugely successful pairing with Rani Mukherji.