Gehraiyaan – movie review that isn’t one

More than a movie review it’s yet another lament on where we are heading as a society. Its not that Indians runs their life by looking at the movies but definitely as a mob, we are largely influenced by what the matinee idols depict on screen – be it wardrobe or for lifestyles. Though “creative” people pounce to argue that art reflects life, the converse also holds true equally. If tasmac, the state run liquor industry, is blamed for bringing that evil right near our doorsteps, by glorifying it on screen our matinee idols have made it as a non-taboo item. If people from 2 decades back, do a time travel to 2020, they would be surely shocked to the level at which tasmac and liquor has infiltrated daily life of common people. In a state that used to pride itself on “ban liquor” movement a generation ago, has turned to the brewery taps to even run the government is shameful to say the least. In fact, tasmac earnings have become an undeniable source of income, goes on to show the apathy of government and subsequent governments in not looking for other viable options of income. They make the finance ministers of yesteryear sound like nobel laureates for having managed the show without this evil money. 

Likewise, adultery, drugs, extra marital affairs, live-in relations, out of wedlock pregnancy, under age affairs, teen pregnancies, have all been brainwashed or whitewashed as regular happenings of real world. The kind of skimpy dresses shown as worn by under age kids playing above their age roles on screen, the kind of hormonal urge driven actions which they show as meet-cute rom com things on screen with catchy, peppy, “soulful” tunes, only adds to this madness. Getting influenced by western culture is one thing, digging a grave and burying everything that was good with our setup is a totally different thing,  as what is happening at present in India. If you mimic them for wearing seat belts that makes sense, but if an American family has an SUV for each of them, aping the same on a country where a liter of petrol costs more than hourly wage of 70% of the population, where vehicular traffic is reaching impossible levels, simply doesn’t make sense. If there is money to splurge and burn, they may as well do it on something that is less imposing on the rest.

As for the movie, it is a straight leaf out of any Sidney Sheldon novel, with a lady leading character with shady morals or loose morals rather, who falls for her engaged relative, cheats on her partner and that relative lady, only to end up getting pregnant and killing the father of the child. The lifestyle of the characters is even more annoying – yoga instructor of a lady, yet to be published author of her live in partner, real estate developer who has an yacht on an annual lease and has office bigger than Bill gates, a pampered US educated relative lady about whose source of money we’ve no clue other than filthy rich parents, who can spare scores of crores of money at the drop of a hat and have houses that are 100 crore worth!! And best part is, the leading lady even comments about how they cannot afford their regular bills or a yacht journey, yet never seems to be actually working but for couple of hours a day still managing to wear nothing short of designer outfits. I doubt if they buy such dresses and cut them to shreds or is that how it is made!! Impossible to actually tear and wear but possibly wear and tear???  And another thing being guests are offered beer or wine when they arrive irrespective of the household on any party!!! Tea coffee idhelaam ban panitaangala!!? I think in ten years’ time, we would have blood sucking psychotic serial killers as leading heroes who would romance vampires as their partners, possibly having gender neutral terms that are politically correct to address their likes!!! Ada pongayya..