Aisha

Movie - Aisha (Hindi)

Director - Rajshree Ojha

Producers - Anil Kapoor, Ajay Bijli, Sanjeev K Bijli, Rhea Kapoor

Cast - Sonam Kapoor, Abhay Deol, Ira Dubey, Amrita Puri, Cyrus Sahukar, Arunoday Singh, Lisa Haydon, MK Raina, Anuradha Patel

Music - Amit Trivedi

Cinematography - Diego Rodriguez

Editor - Sreekar Prasad

Costumes - Pernia Qureshi, Kunal Rawal

Production Design - Shruti Gupte

Story - Adapted from Jane Austen's 'Emma'

Screenplay - Devika Bhagat

Dialogues - Devika Bhagat, Manu Rishi, Ritu Bhatia

Release Date - 6th August 2010

Aisha is an adaptation of a story which was written around 200 years back. The characters have been transported from the England of that era to present day New Delhi. And India gets her first chick flick!! Its got perhaps all the fantasies of any girl of this age - designer clothes, loads of make-up, good looking guys and what not!! And all of it has been packaged well into 2 hours of the running time of Aisha. It would not be ideal for a guy like me to analyse and ponder over a film like Aisha. But I must say, that it was a neat, watchable chick flick which even guys can sit through, provided they have a decent amount of patience. 

Synopsis - Aisha is a girl with a simple diktat - everyone's business is her business. Arjun is a boy with even a simpler set of beliefs - Aisha should mind her own business. Caught in the Delhi upper class world with its own set of social rules, Aisha navigates her world with a great sense of style and even greater optimism. Caught in her web are her best friend Pinky, the small town girl Shefali, the west Delhi boy Randhir and the hunk Dhruv. Aisha will make sure everyone dances to her tune. And all Arjun wants to do is disentangle that web and get Aisha out of an impending sticky mess. Who will succeed and who will succumb? Welcome to Aisha's fabulous world where playing cupid is as easy as 123...if only that Arjun would stay out of her way! [Courtesy - Aisha FB page ;)]

We havent had many films which had been only about girls and her problems. We have always had a hero who takes things forward (unless if its an issue-based arthouse film). But here, the film is about Aisha and everyone else is just part of the world around her. Even the film's leading man Abhay Deol, stays so for most part of the film. Director Rajshree Ojha and screenwriter Devika Bhagat have succeeded in keeping the essence of the novel intact while adapting it to a 2010 version. But the place where they havent succeeded enough is the melodramatic climax of the movie, which could have done with some innovation. It falls into the category of regular cliched finales of any love story in Hindi cinema, except that the lead pair didnt unite at an airport. And yea, Hindi Cinema's fixation with telling the stories of only the ultra-rich continues in this film as well. (Hope we get some relief with Peepli Live next week). 

Sonam Kapoor is effective as the over-confident and ultra-chic Aisha. She oozes confidence throughout the film, be it when she plays the diva or when she goes through a wide range of emotions in the second half. She looks good in some parts, but for most parts, she doesnt look as great as she usually does, under all that make-up and designer clothes, done in order to make her look like a diva. She looked much better as the simple girl in I Hate Luv Storys or an even simpler girl next door in Delhi-6. Even though the title character is played by Sonam Kapoor, it is the two other girls that steal the show in the movie. Amrita Puri as the cute, vulnerable, middle-class Punjabi girl Shefali steals the show with her amazing performance. She has got some great acting chops, I must say. Easily, the best performance in the movie. Ira Dubey as the catty and firebrand Pinky Bose is spot on, and reminds one of her Lilette Dubey quite often. Anything that Abhay Deol has done on screen so far has been great, and he doesnt spoil that reputation of his in this flick as well. He doesnt have the lead role in the film, but he imparts such casual warmth to his character, that it is very difficult not to like him as Arjun in the film. His character keeps both Aisha and the screenplay rooted. Cyrus Sahukar is superb in his goofy character. Arunoday Singh isnt all that great as the hunk Dhruv. MK Raina is brilliant as Aisha's supportive father. Anand Tiwari as Saurabh is excellent in the few scenes that he comes in. 

The look of the movie is an extremely important factor, especially in a film like Aisha. The costumes by Pernia Qureshi & Kunal Rawal are trendy, the production design by Shruti Gupte chic, and the cinematography by Diego Rodriguez spectacular. Veteran editor Sreekar Prasad has done a good job and the film has a good flow throughout. But the most appealing of them all is Amit Trivedi's fantastic music score - the songs as well as the background score. The song 'Sham' has been shot very well in an innovative fashion. 

All in all, girls would have a gala time watching Aisha, and it can serve as a date flick as well too. But calling it the Dil Chahta Hai of girls would be a little too much to ask for. There is everything that you expect from a such a movie in place. Some very good performances, great looking people, fantastic visuals and some awesome music make Aisha a decent viewing experience. Not bad at all for India's first chick flick. :)

Rating - 3/5