Dhobi Ghat(film)

Dhobi Ghaat-Mumbai Diaries:I didn’t even know that Mumbai Diaries was a part of the title but thats what the film is truly about.Mumbai is not just a city/habitat but a character which is the common thread linking the 4 human characters.It’s like a person molding all of them differently.A bored wife from small town finds Mumbai – a companion,the ocean – a confidante, Mumbai rains- the romance that she could never find in her husband.A girl from New York finds Mumbai to be an exploration of the landscape and of human beings,life in its by lanes and how it changes by day and by night,discoveries and realities of life ,of the wedge still existing between the rich and the poor so simply shown in the way that tea is served to an employer and to a Dhobi.Prateik Babbar perfects the lingo and nuances of a Dhobi/life in slums to the T.Pratik’s character is so well defined from how he goes by the railway tracks doing his daily morning ablutions while the sky is still dark, the place where he lives, the bed soaked by the first sign of rains and for some privacy just a curtain made of patches of cloth and no door.Aamir’s character becomes intertwined with a woman who is just an accidental and disconnected find and goes on to become a muse and then to someone whose loss is nerve-wracking.There are just too many beautiful moments only to be seen to be experienced in this movie, the first time Prateik/Munna gathers enough courage just to share the armrest in the theater with Monica Dongra/Shai and how happy and blissfully he is doing that, how he finds shame in being a rat killer,how he falls in love but restrains himself even while having the opportunity, how he even tries to make her feel jealous even while realizing the futility of doing so. These characters are what every Mumbaikar is all about, going about our daily lives/chores while still aspire to find love, build a connection with another person,achieve our dreams, find a little romance by the sea, culinary bliss in the Malpua of Mohammed Ali road and Bhel-puri of Juhu. It’s all there in mumbai and in this beautiful film. The background score and the Mumbai noise lifts the film, the casting is apt and such a delight and the story lucid.I loved the end.For a first time director its certainly an achievement to transform her vision so beautifully on screen. Sheer Poetry in motion. Take a bow!

ButKiran Rao’sDhobi Ghat (Mumbai Diaries)is easily one of the most dynamic cinematic portraits of that decaying, vibrant, impossible city ever, a film that considers the city itself as a character and looks closely at how it impacts people from a range of social classes. The film is all the more remarkable since it’s a first feature by Rao, who has worked in the Hindi film industry but never written or directed a film before.

• The lives of four people intersect in Mumbai: a washer-man who wants to become an actor, a banker-turned-photographer, a painter looking for inspiration, and a newly-married immigrant who journals her experiences on home video.
• The lives of 4 different people in the city of Mumbai get entwined by fate and luck; Shai – an investment banker with a penchant for photography, Arun – a lonely painter, Munna – the “dhobi” who aspires to become an actor and Yasmin – making a video in her camcorder for her brother, who hasn’t been to Mumbai before. The film follows how their lives are changed by the presence of one another. Will it be for better or for worse?—kabya92
• New York-based Banker, Shai, travels to Mumbai in order to take some photographs. She first meets with a reclusive artist, Arun, whose much taller wife divorced him and re-located to Australia along with their son. After spending a night together, she finds out they are incompatible but is unable to get him out of her mind. Arun then re-locates, and she finds out his new address through her Dhobi, Zohaib, rents a room opposite Arun’s building and starts to secretly photograph him. She befriends Zohaib, even prepares a portfolio so that he can advance his career as a Bollywood actor, as well as goes to the movies and eats out with him. Things change after Zohaib finds out that she prefers Arun, who is engrossed in watching recorded camcorder tapes of a previous tenant, Yasmin Noor; Zohaib’s brother, Salim, is killed; and Shai inadvertently discovers Zohaib’s night-time job.—rAjOo (gunwanti@hotmail.com)
• Dhobi Ghat(Hindi-partly English) AKA Mumbai Diaries is the story of four very different people whose worlds collide. As they find themselves drawn into compelling relationships, the city finds its way into their lives. Fragments of their experience – seen through a video diary, black and white photos and paintings form a compelling portrait of Mumbai and its people.—Mannu.sadana@gmail.com
• Arun (Aamir Khan), a reclusive artist, moves into a run-down flat in the older part of Mumbai. After attending an exhibition of his works, he meets Shai (Monica Dogra), an American banker who has come to Mumbai to devote time to her hobby, photography, and takes her back to his flat, where they have a one-night stand. The next morning, Arun expresses his disinterest in continuing the relationship and Shai angrily storms out.Shortly after, Munna (Prateik Babbar), a Dhobi (washerman) who dreams about getting a break in Bollywood, arrives to deliver Arun’s laundry. Arun moves into a new apartment the next day. While unpacking, he finds a small container that had been left by the previous tenant of the apartment. In it, he finds a silver chain, a ring, and three video tapes by Yasmin Noor. The tapes turn out to be video diaries in which Yasmin communicates with her brother. In the tape, she is generally happy, and shows her apartment, which is the same one Arun is occupying now. The next morning, Arun is informed by his manager that art dealers, impressed with his art, have decided to open a gallery in Sydney featuring his works. Arun is pleased by this, as it would also give him a chance to visit his ex-wife and child, settled in Australia. He begins to work on a new painting.When Munna delivers laundry to Shai’s house, they meet and soon become friends. Munna agrees to show Shai around Mumbai and help her gather photographs about the occupations of the poor. In return, Shai agrees to shoot a portfolio of Munna to help him get into the film industry. Arun continues watching Yasmin’s tapes and learns more about her life, including that she has recently married a man who seems distant. Shai obtains Arun’s new address from Munna. Shai’s father’s construction company is constructing a building opposite Arun’s apartment. Shai starts shooting photos of Arun from the construction site without Arun being aware of it.Munna continues struggling to find work in films. To earn a living, he washes clothes by day and kills rats by night. He disapproves of his brother’s criminal activity but they are close, and Munna’s brother uses his underworld contacts to try to get Munna a break in the industry. In the meantime, Munna shows Shai the different facets of Mumbai, including the laundry area, where he works as a launderer. Munna develops feelings for Shai but is unable to express them, mostly because of his working-class status. One day, Arun spots Shai nearby and invites her to his house. He apologizes about their first meeting. Munna sees them together and feels betrayed but Shai is able to convince him to keep helping her. One night, while Munna is at his rat-killing job, Shai sees him and takes pictures. Dismayed, Munna flees from her.Arun watches the final video by Yasmin. Her tone has changed considerably since the previous tape, in which she revealed learning that her husband was in an extramarital affair. She strongly indicates that she intends to commit suicide. Shaken by the knowledge that Yasmin might have hanged herself in that very room, Arun flees the apartment and moves into a new one. Munna arrives home to find that his brother has been killed. He and his family relocate to a new flat and Munna visits his brother’s contact in the film industry to show him his portfolio.Arun studies the painting he has been working on, which is now complete. Yasmin is prominently featured along with other things she had left behind. Shortly after, Shai finds Munna and Munna again tries to flee her, but she catches up with him. She insists upon their friendship and asks about Arun’s whereabouts. Still hurt, Munna lies to her and they exchange an abrupt farewell before Shai leaves. Moments later, Munna changes his mind and runs after Shai’s car, weaving through the traffic. The film ends when Munna catches up to the car and gives Shai Arun’s new address.

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