Aamir

How often have you heard the saying "Good things come in small packages" come true. This week amidst all the anticipation attached with Sarkar Raj a small movie walks away with the honours.

Aamir a movie of first timers right from the actor to the director to the composer not only entertains, but makes you a part of it. From the word Go, the movie is full of sights and incidents we have grown used to seeing in real life but never on the big screen. Aamir a doctor returning to India from the UK finds out that his welcome has been planned out in horrific detail. A fundamentalist keeping his family hostage wants him to carry out some work as instructed through the phone. Aamir goes from bewilderment to denial to anger to compliance in a period of time. Taking him through the by-lanes and dilapidated houses, the man on the phone tells him "Kaun Kehta hain aadmi apni Kismat khud likhta hain", a oft heard but in this context chilling statement. What happens next is for you to find out (as I strongly recommend)

Despite having a setting similar to movies such as Phone Booth or Cellular, what makes Aamir stand out is it's execution which is brutally brings out the "filthy" side of Mumbai like never before.

Not for a moment does the director shy away from showing us the Butcher's knife, the heap of garbage, the cheap motel. They all come alive (kudos to the cinematographer for the expert use of the hand held camera) as Aamir walks through them in a Van Huesen suit broken and harrowed.

What will also catch your attention is the stunning (that's the word) background score, you will jump in your seat when Aamir is surprised, you will get the impression of impending doom when Aamir speaks to his tormentor on the phone. The songs are good too (especially the Reham Khuda one).

A word for the performances as well, Rajeev Khandelwal as Aamir pitches in a performance that you have to laud as downright Honest, Aamir's plight and anguish becomes your own as you watch Rajeev emote on screen, a great debut. Gajraj Rao who plays the man on the phone largely remains in the dark, but emotes through his voice to good effect (albeit a bit repetitive). Rest of the characters all make apperances for a minute or two and do justice.

Above all the movie has a message too, in the age when media and people seem to know everything and are ready to jump on conclusions Aamir shows what also could have happened, and that leaves you with some food for thought.

All in all a must watch.