ESCAPE
FROM TALIBAN:
Of
All Things Grim for
a Girl
The
story of a woman, 'Escape
from Taliban' is based
on a best-seller, Sushmita
Banerjee's 'Kabuliwala's
Bengali Wife'. Though
a powerful film, the
production is guided
more by box office considerations.
Director U Chatterjee
should know well the
damage he has done to
the original story.
It is about the real
life saga of an Indian
girl (of Kolkata) who
falls in love with an
Afghan youth she happens
to meet in the city
and up to the point
of marriage, the problems
were limited to the
family.
She goes to Afghanistan
with her Muslim husband.
Jaanbaz either ignores
or underrates the fact
that his homeland is
caught in a bloody civil
war and fundamentalist
Taliban are slowly gaining
ground. Soon after they
reach the village where
the entire clan of Jaanbaz
lives, Taliban take
over the country.
The girl is welcome
in a liberal-minded
Muslim home. The womenfolk
are very kind to her.
They treat her well,
mainly because Jaanbaz
is a bread-winner for
the family. But the
influence and terror
of the Taliban are growing.
Most of the males are
losing balance and behaving
with more and more cruelty
towards the women of
the family. Sushmita
alias Sahib Kamaal watches
with horror the plight
of these women. She
speaks up and fights
for them. That makes
life harder for her
every passing day. She
is especially in the
eye of the Taliban storm.
Her husband, without
telling her has already
escaped to India. She
must go too, and tries
again and again.
The bane of the picturisation
is the music-and-dance
component, which is
unnecessarily disproportionate
and very often breaks
the tension of a scene
and mars its effect.
The grimness of the
whole story should have
been perceived at any
cost, barring a few
light moments fitting
the situation.
While new-comer Nawab
Khan has managed to
give a convincing performancce,
Manisha is the lifeline
of the film. She rises
in stature as the story
unfolds involving her
in unforeseen situations.
Though she is not entirely
beyond blame, certain
things happen to her
and Jaanbaz which are
beyond control.
A very sensitively done
role that reminds us
of the Muslim girl she
played in 'Bombay' and
the role in 'Dil Se'.
The film has good performances,
some breath-taking visuals
and high technical standards.
-by
Our Film Critic
February 14, 2003
KASH
AAP HAMARE HOTE:
All
for Juhi!
'Kash Aap Hamare Hote'
is based on a story
with a strange twist
and therefore it is
quite challenging for
Raveender Peepat, the
producers and the lead
pair, Sonu Nigam and
Juhi Babbar. Sonu was
one film old when he
got cast in 'Kash Aap
Hamare Hote', but for
Juhi it was the first
screen venture.
With Greek features
and a tender innocence
on her face, Juhi is
definite cut out for
bigger things. All depends
on the success of her
debut. Her parents,
Raj and Nadira, have
left nothing to be desired
or so it seems. Great
locations (of Canada),
never seen before on
the screen, lavish interiors,
plenty of good music
and dance, even some
action makes the film
an attractive package
of entertainment.
The suspense of the
narrative is maintained
throughout. Juhi's character
earns lot of sympathy,
but the audience is
not sure whether she
should get their moral
support.
The screenplay writer
and the director have
proceeded cautiously
while tackling the situatiion,
when a newly-wedded
girl run away from the
husband's home and is
given shelter by a lonely
bachelor who falls in
love with her.
Supporting the young
cast are Om Puri and
Raj Babbar. Johnny Lever
has been wasted.
