Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Videsh:Heaven on Earth (2008) - Surrealism !!!

Videsh:Heaven on Earth (2008) - Film review

imdb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1146285/

Starring: Preity Zinta and Vansh Bhardwaj
Director: Deepa Mehta

Preity Zinta in an international film !!!...that creates interest,Right ??
Then,there's Deepa Mehta - Fire,Earth,Water ... That should be enough to make the film a compelling watch.


Yeah...Preity and Deepa aren't letting us down and offer a complete cinema,and provide us a great surrealistic experience.The film as such is very imaginative and Preity has delivered her best performance till-date (Has won a couple of awards at International film festivals).

Chand(Preity Zinta) as a young and beautiful (as Moon{dimpled Moon!}) punjabi bride leaves for Canada from India.An abusive husband and not-so caring family - The movie travels along the lines of "47 Naatkal" and "Not Without my daughter" (i.e) Woman trapped and harassed by her husband,in a foreign country.


When you realise,you know the story-line,comes a surprising surrealistic track which you will never imagine.As chand is struck down by despair and loneliness,her friend at her workplace provides her a magical root that is supposed to seduce the one who takes it towards the one who gives it.And then,there is Black Cobra,Surrealism - Both Chand and the audience are trying to comprehend what is happening...And things fall into place towards the end.

We never knew Preity can act to this magnitude.She just fits the role as a punjabi bride,hand in glove (Thanks to IPL and Preity's Franchise Kings XI Punjab...kidding and Preity has that natural punjabi looks in her).You'll naturally listen to the pounding of your heart,when she is harassed by her husband.There are no other well-known actors in the cast department but as an ensemble - they deliver the idea right.

Then,there's a punjabi wedding ceremony in the beginning of the movie.This has become more of a trend in the diasporic films directed by Indian directors.Bend it like Beckam,Mississippi masala,Monsoon wedding offer a few examples.I think,the west really love to see Indian weddings on-screen. Gold,Orange,Yellow,garlands,Marigolds,music and dances have become more of a cliche for us now.See the above mentioned films and you should probably agree my point. :)

Wonderful Cinematography...Alternating Color and grained-Black & White.
Not much of a Background music - yet the movie is not silent - Very lively.

Good piece of art - Don't apply in the logical theories.Travel with it and this one will entertain you .. Recommended.

Rate - 3/5

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