Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi
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| Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi | |
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 Movie poster for Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi |
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| Directed by | Sudhir Mishra |
| Produced by | Rangita Pritish Nandy |
| Written by | Ruchi Narain, Sudhir Mishra, Shiv Kumar Subramaniam |
| Starring | Kay Kay Menon, Chitrangada Singh, Shiney Ahuja, Saurabh Shukla |
| Cinematography | Aseem Bajaj, Jacques Bouquin |
| Editing by | Catherine D'Hoir |
| Release date(s) | April 15, 2005 |
| Country |  India |
| Language | Hindi/English |
| IMDb profile | |
Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, (2005) is an Indian movie made by director Sudhir Mishra in 2003, but released in 2005. Set against the backdrop of the Indian Emergency, the movie tells the story of three people in the 70s, when India was undergoing massive social and political changes. The movie's title is taken from the couplet of Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib.
It went to 12 film festivals in 6 months including Turkey, Estonia, River to River (Florence), Berlin, Edinburgh, Washington, India (Goa), Bite The Mango (Bradford), Commonwealth (Manchester), India (Los Angeles), Dallas, and Pacific Rim (California).
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[edit] Plot
The film opens in Delhi University with the story of three students, Kay Kay Menon (as Siddhartha Tyabji), Chitrangada Singh (as Geeta Rao) and Shiney Ahuja (as Vikram). It follows their lives over the next five years in a story of politics, love, and ambition. Shiney Ahuja's role has him as a pining lover one moment and a political fixer and a wheeler-dealer the next. The film's socio-political statement retains the intellectual power and depth and is not overshadowed by the strongly emotional (almost sentimental) love story its woven with.
The movie deals with the aspirations of three protagonists - Siddharth, Vikram and Geeta. Siddharth is a driven revolutionary who dreams of bringing a revolution in the state of Bihar that will end the caste-based discrimination there; bring social justice, and, change the society for the better. Vikram is the son of a Gandhian politician who has grown up in less comfort than Siddharth and Geeta but wants to climb the social ladder no matter what the cost. Geeta is portrayed as a London returned, South Indian girl in love with the firebrand Siddharth. She has led a very sheltered life thus far, and is yet to explore the terrain of the Indian socio-political landscape. While she finds Siddharth's Naxalite rhethoric attractive, she is not sure if she can whole-heartedly subscribe to it. And every time they come to point of choice, Siddharth chooses his ideology over his love for her thus breaking her heart time and again. Vikram is a middle-class boy who dreams of making it big, whatever the cost. He is particularly afflicted by his father's Gandhian ideas, but irritated and frustrated at the same time, seeing his father's way of life as ineffective in bringing about a change.
The movie begins with the three protagonists leaving college and heading towards their respective goals. Siddharth leaves for Bihar to bring about a revolution; Geeta leaves for Oxford to get a degree, and Vikram sets up an office in Delhi.
A few years later, Vikram is a fixer in the power corridors of government, Geeta is married to a promising IAS Officer who, as Geeta says "has it all", and Siddharth is still trying to foment a revolution. But all is not as it seems. Below the mask of happiness, each is quite unhappy. Vikram has 'made it', but he still cannot get Geeta, the love of his life. Geeta is married, but she still meets Siddharth on the sly, cheating on her husband. Siddharth has moved beyond simply trying to foment a revolution, and has started caring for the downtrodden so much so that he is prepared to delay a revolution because he feels that the people are not ready in spite of their saying otherwise.
[edit] Characters
The story revolves around three friends, Siddharth Tyabji (Kay Kay Menon), Geeta Rao (Chitrangada Singh) and Vikram (Shiny Ahuja) and how each tries to find his or her purpose in life.
Siddharth is the son of a retired judge, born and raised in luxury and privilege. But he is attracted by the communist movement, especially the naxalite movement of West Bengal. He sees the social inequalities around him, and is convinced that a communist reveloution is the answer to all the problems. That he lives in wealth, smokes pot and listens to western rock while espousing Lenin and Mao does not affect this decision.
Geeta Rao, meanwhile, is from a middle class South Indian extended family. As such, she is a sheltered person. She is in love with Siddharth and his firebrand personality. But while she likes to hear him talk of revolution, she herself is not so sure about taking part in one. Vikram is from a middle class family, with a Gandhian father who is an idealist. Vikram is very ambitious, and wants to be successful, by hook or by crook. He is also in love with Geeta, but his love is not reciprocated.
Other characters playing a significant part in this film are Saurabh Shukla, Arif Zakaria, Yashpal Sharma, etc.
[edit] Cast
- Kay Kay Menon ... Siddharth Tyabji
- Chitrangada Singh ... Geeta Rao
- Shiney Ahuja ... Vikram Malhotra
- Yashpal Sharma ... Randhir Singh
- Saurabh Shukla ... Bihari Constable
- Anupam Shyam ... SHO Jhanda Singh
[edit] Crew
- Director:: Sudhir Mishra
- Story: Sudhir Mishra
- Producer: Rangita Pritish Nandy
- Music: Shantanu Moitra
- Cinematography: * Lyrics: Mirza Ghalib, Swanand Kirkire, Ajay Jhingran, Bhikhari Thakur
- Executive Producer: Sushil Datta
[edit] Reception
Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi had a poor run in theatres mostly due to its novel theme and art cinema qualities. However it was considered by many critics to be a masterpiece and one of the best movies of the year. All the three leads were showered with praise for their performances. However Shiney Ahuja's performance was considered the best in the film.
[edit] Songs
- Baanwara Mann (Male): Swanand Kirkire
- Baanwara Mann (Female - Part 1): Shubha Mudgal
- Baanwara Mann (Female - Part 2): Shubha Mudgal
- Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (Part 1): Shubha Mudgal
- Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (Part 2): Shubha Mudgal
- Mann Yeh Baanwara : Swanand Kirkire & Ajay Jhingran
- Hey Sajani : Swanand Kirkire
- Hey Sajani (The Club Mix): Swanand Kirkire
- Na Aaye Piya (Thumri) : Shobha Joshi
- My Sharona: The Knack
- Someday My Prince Will Come
[edit] Trivia
- Shiney Ahuja won the Filmfare Best Debut Award for his performance.
- Director Sudhir Mishra and Executive Producer Sushil Datta appeared in a small cameo in the film.
- 'Them Clones' an Indian rock band make a brief appearance in the film.
