TMETAWAIFGOESTOTMEBEERBAR

Barkhaa

STARRING: SaraLoren,TahaShah, Puneetlssar,PriyanshuChatterjee

DIRECTOR: ShadaabMirza

Pakeezahgoes to the beer bar. Or some suchtaglinewould serve this fairly watchable melodrama's purposes.

Melodramaasa genre inIndian cinema has goneout ofvogue.Debuta.nt dfrector Shadaab·M]rzaweaves an emotionalyarn about agirl's journeyfromthepristine Himachal hinterland into abeerbar run by an incredibly benign South Indian manwho could be oneof those caringmadams in the films about fallenwomen set in kotbas.

To his credit, thedirector doesn't over-romanticisethe bargidBai:khaa's tmnultuous life story,atleastnot initially when sheis shown tobequitea tease.

The scenes showing the rich pampered lawyer'sbesorredsonJatin (TahaShah,stiff and not just in the upper-lip) frequenting the bartodartlovelorn looksat his object ofadorationare metwid1 adisarmingmix of amusement and annoyance by Barkhaa.

The scenes featuringthe mismatched couple'stragic game of seduction in the bar are effective inputtingacrossa senseof incredulityabout the crueljokes playedby destiny especially inmovies about well, d1e cruel jokesplayedby destiny.

A largepart of die film's effectiveness dependsonleadactress SaraLoren,who isemotively motivated, understands the camera and thepowerof heightened emotions expressedon screen,and is powerfully empowered toconveyaweald1 of emotions through her eyes andvoice.

But the film'sfinestperformancescomes fromAshiesh Royas the levelbeaded unbelievably kind barowner. Roy in1parts ananiralease to hisover-sweetenedpart in afiJmwhere everybody strains to makean impact.

Regrettably,Loren's strongperformance is saddJedwithbizarrecoincidencesand unconvincingtwists and turns in the narrationwhich plot to diminishherscreen presence.

The story rends toveer dangerously closeto the d1eatrical,especially aftermidpointwhen theproceedingsbeginto veer absurdlyclose to theoutrageous.

Yet, there isa semblanceof sincerityin d1ewaythelifeof bardanceris humanised without making herlook angelic.

The fiJm refuses coglamorise and caricamrisethebar dancer theway Farah Khan did inHappyNe,vYeCll:

At d1e sametime,d1e narrative won't tolerate a bardancer beingdubbeda prostitute.

There'samomentof terrificawakening where AsbiesbRoy'sbatowner's characterlashes out at someonewho tries tobuy d1e heroine's sexual favours for anight.

Eventually Barkhaa'sworldbegins co fall apart.Thesame, unfortunatelyis trueof thefilm.

Butin takingthe lifeofa ta1JJt1if from om of theornatekothainto the harshglareof the beerbar,Barkhaa succeeds in portrayingacinematic journeyworth undertaking.

There is alsoa.reformistzea.lin the script d1at B.R. Choprawould have approved of in theway the film's hero insists onmarryinga bar girl who isamother of alittlegirl.

If only reallifehadsuchsolutions tooffer distressedwomen andvictims of socialhypocrisy.

Barkhaarainsdowna rhapsody of drama and romance. A heart-wanningat times, touchingtaleof an innocentgirl'sjourney into theworld of deceit,compromise and corruption,itechoesRa Kapoor'sRa111Teri

Ganga,\{ailiandKamal Amrohi's Pakeezah in ilieway therespectable genteel upper classisshowncoexploitwomen of meagre means.

SaraLorenisnoJv[eena Kurnari. Butshe kills mepartmuch bettermanMandakini in

Raj Kapoor'sfeveredfable. Breastsareleftbehind.ThisGangais not111aili.Just maligned.

SUBHASH K.JHA

�Jll(I DEPUTY MAYOR

Liverpoolc1

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Damandeepis aqualified Homeopathwithatrack recordofyearsofsuccess intreatingvarious ailments

Homoeopithgistheufestmedicine withAl1solotelg no_sideeffects.

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Itiswith greathumilityItakeontheroleofDeputyMayorforLiverpoolCityCouncil.Iwishtofirstly, thankmyfellowCouncillorsforentrustingmewiththisimportantrole.IalsothankPeterRistevskifor hisworkintheroleasthe previous DeputyMayorandcongratulatehimonhisachievements.Ilook forwardtoworking with myfellowCouncillorsandthecommunityintakingourgreatcitytoeven greater heightsandamexcited bywhatthefuture holdsforourcommunity.

GreatnewsforresidentsasCouncilrecentlycommencedconstructiononthefinal stageofthe$21 million upgradetoKurrajongRoad.TheupgradeswillseetheroadextendedfromKookaburraRoad Northto Sarah HollandsDrive.Thiscomplex and significant projectwill includetheconstructionof afour-lane urban roadbetween Kookaburra RoadNorth andSarah HollandsDrive,a75-metrelong concretebridgeoverCabramattaCreek,installationofmajorstormwatermanagementsystemsplus streetscaping includinglandscaping,shared pathsandstreetlighting.Oncefinished,theextension ofKurrajong Road andtheassociatedworkswill providedirecteast-westlinksbetweentheHume Highway,Casula andCowpastureRoadinCarnesHill,greatlyimprovingtrafficaccessandconditions. ConstructionofthefinalstageofKurrajong Roadisexpectedtofinish bytheendof2015.

GUSBALLOOTDeputyMayor emai :cllrball oot@Iiverpoo