kathuria_nidhi Review of What If?

What If? (2006)

Mr. Naseeruddin Shah, what is your excuse for making Yun Hota To Kya Hota?

[1/10 · 22 July 2006]

In an interview, Dr. Amitabh Bachchan in all his modesty answered that he doesn't know direction and is happy being an actor. Mr. Naseeruddin Shah, the master of realistic acting and the God of theater after a long yearning to direct, finally had an opportunity to don the director's hat with this film. First question-why this film? What is so great about the uncooked, haywire script in the first place? Just like Nagesh Kuknoor's film 'Teen Diwarein,' which was based on parallel stories meeting the same fate in the end or bound by sheer coincidence, an attempt has been made in 'Yun Hota To Kya Hota' to converge four stories to a common fate. But unlike Kuknoor's stories, these stories are weak in narration and characters (except Konkona Sen Sharma) and fail to evoke any empathy or identification. There is no justification why Irrfan Khan is obsessed with a woman who is his mother's age. The idiosyncrasies are added to the characters for a superficial effect and don't really reveal any character strength or weakness or why a person is the way he or she is. Almost all characters seem unrealistic and dwell in suspended animation. What is the message the climax is trying to give out? Fails me! 'Yun Hota To Kya Hota?' Kaisa Hota to kya hota? Did you want us to fantasize about the whole film? What if all those people loved their Swades and gave up their dreams to go to US? Would things have been different? But really are their lives so great or so curiously dramatic to ponder and waste our time over? What if they all had missed their flights? What if those Indian passengers had turned heroes and averted the tragic fate? I really wish there was any, even the remotest conclusion or a resolution at all...The 9/11 incident in the climax is just used and abused and fails to even slightly wrench the muscles of the heart. The dialogues are very lame and imagine a brother even jokingly telling his sister "You want to see my exploitation tool?" The camera-work is shoddy, even the B grade movies that manage to shoot a song or two in New York do justice to exalt its glory unlike this film. A line-up of fine actors in obliging guest roles leave much to be desired like Boman Irani, Makrand, Tinu Anand or even Rajat Kapoor who recently gave a smashing performance in the very sleek Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Corporate'. Second question to Mr. Naseeruddin Shah- How could you make such a lousy film? With a lifetime of experience, soulfulness and passion which infused life into your many characters, one would have thought directing a film is something you could even do while you are sleeping! I don't have any other question to ask you, but I really hope you are surrounded by some honest friends who would have courage to tell you the truth when and if at all you decide to make a comeback as a director.