Khadija Mughal is of the view that Imtiaz Ali's latest offering showcases a fine performance by Ranbir Kapoor - even if it fails to fully utilise Deepika Padukone's skills
The wait is over, Tamasha is here. Though it is true for most movies nowadays, the film starring Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone was highly anticipated, owing not only to the actors’ individual charm and acting prowess, but also to their much celebrated on-screen chemistry. Despite many critics’ claims to the contrary, I think Tamasha did not disappoint.
The story revolves around Ved (played by Ranbir Kapoor and young Yash Sehgal), switching frequently between his childhood and manhood. As a child, Ved is shown as a wide, sparkly eyed young boy who has a knack for listening to stories, for which purpose he often goes to visit a storyteller who sits under a tree in his native city, Shimla. The storyteller (played by Piyush Mishraj) mostly narrates classic love stories to him, from Heer-Ranjha to Ram-Seeta; and from Romeo and Juliet to Helen and Paris, but often in chunks – a clever allusion to the movie’s own construction.
The two stars meet on the picturesque Mediterranean island of Corsica in the film
A few scenes later we meet Ved as a grown up in Corsica, saving our damsel in distress, Tara (Deepika Padukone), from trouble. Tara, who is visiting Corsica from India, has lost her luggage along with her passport and is stranded alone on the French island with not enough money to make a single phone call. Ved catches her trying to convince a Frenchman to let her make her phone call, but failing. Being the chivalrous man he essentially isn’t, Ved lets Tara use his phone to call India. Impressed, Tara tries to introduce herself, but Ved interrupts her attempt, telling her that introductions are useless and that they would be better off simply enjoying themselves together for as long as they are on the island. Tara agrees, and the two never exchange their personal details. They also decide not to develop a romantic relationship and vow never to see each other after they leave Corsica. However, despite their attempts, the two manage to develop feelings for each other.
Once the episode in Corsica is over, the film leaves Ved’s trail and follows Tara, instead. Tara is completely, utterly smitten: completely entangled in the memory of the entertaining, lively Ved with whom she had spent a week with in Corsica. She has fallen so deeply in love that years go by – four, to be precise – and she remains unable to forget him, or to fall in love with someone else. Then, one day, she meets Ved in Delhi and pours her heart out. The two decide to get together, start a romantic relationship, and are on the brink of getting engaged. However, on the day Ved proposes to her, Tara realizes that the man she is dating is not the Ved she had fallen in love with. And that is the punchline of our film.
Tamasha may well be Ranbir Kapoor's most underrated acting performance to date
The Ved that Tara had met in Corsica was his reality – who he actually was. But years of efforts on his family’s part to make him conform to the values of society – learn mathematics, become an engineer and work as a product manager for a renowned firm – had turned his exterior into something else, something he wasn’t meant to be: a façade. However, despite succeeding in turning Ved into the cog in the wheel that they desired, his family – particularly his father, played by Pakistani veteran Javed Sheikh – fails to transform his essence. As a result, Ved is a frustrated man who is stuck in a personality that isn’t his own – and Tara, in her attempts at finding the Ved she fell in love with, plays her part in correcting that fault.
The first thought that came to my mind after the curtains fell on Tamasha was Ranbir Kapoor’s brilliant performance. Kapoor has masterfully enacted the various facets of an everyday man’s personality: his forced attempts at following standards of politeness, chivalry and social conformity that betray his true nature, together with the raw frustration that manifests itself in rare moments of behavioural honesty. On the other hand, Kapoor has also brought out the creativity in Ved’s character without making it look artificial and deliberate, hence showing the audience his character’s natural personality and juxtaposing it with the behaviour he has forcefully acquired – all this, without actually saying it out loud. And it takes a brilliant actor to convey his message without actually ever having to say it. This might just make Tamasha Ranbir Kapoor’s most underrated acting performance to date.
Ranbir and Deepika in a scene from the film
At the other end of the spectrum is Deepika Padukone and her Tara. Padukone also puts in a good performance. However, after seeing her steal the show in her 2013 films Chennai Express and Ram Leela, it is slightly disappointing to see Padukone take the backseat in her latest ventures. She surely has played her role well, but that isn’t saying a lot since her character had limited screen time and depth, relegating her to the role of the hero’s sidekick. And playing a sidekick isn’t what actresses like Deepika Padukone – who can actually act – should be doing.
And finally, to the direction. Imtiaz Ali, who has previously directed films featuring both Ranbir Kapoor (Rockstar, 2011) and Deepike Padukone (Love Aaj Kal, 2009) and made unconventional, message-driven films like Highway (2014) has yet again managed to present another thought-provoking motion picture. His ability to tell the story naturally, yet making sure it retains a wondrous lure, is perhaps one of the reasons why Ali’s movies are so different from others. Tamasha succeeds in retaining that tag of uniqueness. Despite not quite being up there with Rockstar and Highway on the wow-o-meter, Tamasha is definitely one of Imtiaz Ali’s best.
