Director: Amol Palekar
Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji and Anupam Kher
‘A Captivating Classic’
Few actresses in Bollywood are as beloved as Rani Mukerji. Ever since rise to stardom in the 1990’s, Mukerji has transformed into one of the finest actresses in the Indian film industry. Whether it’s star-crossed lovers, prostitutes or bold housekeepers, Mukerji has suggested she can portray various characters. Through her ability to portray characters that are compelling, she has created a legacy which has proven lasting. Mukerji’s greatest strength as an actress has always been her versatility. Mukerji’s strength as an actress is her courage to take risks. She is one of those actresses which has never been afraid of taking risks in her career by playing characters which aren’t commonly likeable. Despite reaching age of retirement, Mukerji has never lost her passion for making powerful entertainment. Throughout an enduring career, Mukerji has crafted many memorable movies which are definitely without a doubt absolutely worth watching.
I’m a huge fan of Mukerji and adore all the movies which she has made in her career. However, “Paheli” definitely stands out as her most underrated film. Released in 2005, Amol Palekar’s movie offered a compelling portrayal of supernatural ghosts. Packed with breathtaking music sequences, bold storytelling and phenomenal acting, it’s a brilliant Bollywood fantasy drama. At the centre of it all is an amazing performance from Rani Mukerji, who embodies a woman that’s haunted by ghostly spirits. Although “Paheli” is a fantastic Bollywood drama, it isn’t a flawless film. It builds an ambiguous ending without a resolution. Nevertheless, it offers engrossing entertainment for fans of Rani Mukerji.
“Pageli” tells the story of a woman haunted by a ghostly spirit that caused tragedy. Rani Mukerji plays Lachchi, a newlywed woman with dreams of finding love. Lachchi shares a powerful bond with her husband Kishanlal, (Shah Rukh Khan) whom she loves dearly. When her husband leaves to embark on a business trip for five years, Lachchi is left in tears. However, her life dramatically forever changes when she meets a ghostly spirit of her lover. As she falls in love with a ghostly spirit, Lachchi is given rare chance to relive her romantic relationships. Coming towards realization that she has fallen for a ghost, Lachchi is forced to question if it’s possible for her to let go off the person in the world she loves most.
Amol Palekar is a newcomer to the fantasy genre. A brilliant Bollywood comedy actor, Palekar had never created a fantasy movie before “Paheli”. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture fantastical ghosts that cause tragedy but he pulled it off expertly. Emulating Jerry Zucker’s “Ghost”, Palekar expertly uses montages to capture a ghost haunting a woman that he loves the most. For instance, montages elevate the ghostly spirit scene. During this engrossing scene, Lachchi is surprised to discover the ghostly spirit of her lover she feels is real. Through breathtaking montages, Palekar creates a portrait of ghosts that’s engaging. Montage is a complex technique to use in Bollywood. As Yash Chopra’s “Veer-Zaara” suggested, montages elevate Bollywood romantic films about doomed love. Nevertheless, it works in this movie. Using strong visuals, Palekar captures the hardships women haunted by ghosts are facing.
Another admirable aspect of “Paheli” that merits appreciation is the production. From a technical perspective, it’s one of the best Bollywood romantic films you will ever see. Palekar successfully uses cross-cutting to stage musical sequences involving ghosts that are engaging. For instance, the cross-cutting elevates the Kangna Re song. In this unforgettable song, Lachchi is haunted by memories of her deceased husband taking the form of a ghost. Through cross-cutting, Palekar creates musical sequences which are engaging. Moreover, the musical score is magnificent. It gives the movie an intense atmosphere capturing the painful burdens women haunted by ghosts bear. Using bold production, Palekar captures ghosts which face tension.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Paheli” is a Bollywood romantic film that’s engaging. The film is extremely well written, and effectively uses silence to capture the hardships that women haunted with ghosts experience. Evoking M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Sixth Sense”, Palekar effectively uses silence to capture women that are haunted by ghosts which prove intense. For instance, silence elevates the farewell scene. During this heartbreaking scene, Lachchi is sad to say goodbye to her husband whom she has always loved as he embarks on a business trip. Through sequences of silence, Palekar crafts a portrait of ghosts audiences relate to. Silence is a complex technique to use in Bollywood films. As Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Black” claimed, silence enhances classic Bollywood movies about blind women. That being said, it works immensely in this movie. Through an engrossing screenplay, Palekar captures ghosts which cause lovers to face a price to pay.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Rani Mukerji delivers one of her best career performances as Lachchi. Mukerji achieved appreciation for playing romantic heroines in Bollywood movies. With “Paheli”, however, she took on her most mysterious role. It isn’t easy to portray a woman haunted by ghosts that cause tragedy, but she succeeds. This is the actress unlike you have ever seen her before: intense, charismatic and emotional in her most magical role. With spellbinding expressions, she captures angst, courage and reckless spirit of a woman haunted by ghosts of companions. It’s a phenomenal performance from one of the most beloved actresses in India today.
While the movie is mainly a bold showcase for Rani Mukerji, the supporting cast is also amazing and worth mentioning. Shah Rukh Khan is spectacular, capturing charismatic nature of a ghostly spirit haunting his lover. Anupam Kher is amazing, bringing an air of authority to a landlord that discovers ghosts causing fear. Lastly, Rajpal Yadav deserves appreciation. As a servant of a household, he brings hilarious comical relief to the film.
Despite its strong performances, however, “Paheli” can’t quite capture ghosts which cause lovers to face tragedy realistically. If there is a minor shortcoming to the movie, it lacks an ending. It’s an ambiguous ending without a clear resolution that fails to bring the movie towards a conclusion. Whereas this ending elevated Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining”, it clashes with the tone of this film. Therefore, “Paheli” can’t quite live up to the high standards of Rani Mukerji’s best films audiences adore.
Nevertheless, fans of Rani Mukerji will enjoy “Paheli” and so would audiences that seek poetic entertainment. A brilliant Bollywood fantasy drama, it honours an actress that’s beloved in India.
Nearly 21 years following the release of an iconic Bollywood film about a woman that’s haunted by ghosts causing adversity, it’s a riveting reminder of an Indian actress that’s built a lasting legacy through her abilities to portray compelling characters in memorable movies throughout her strong career which audiences love dearly.
4.5/5 stars
The Film Buff 