Nazar

Article Updated 23 May, 2005 12:49:26 PM IST

Nazar

Two supernatural releases in a week and that too with suspiciously similar storylines, is no doubt a professional hara-kiri. Still, Bollywood does it time and again! And this time even the titles (and the inspiration behind the movies) are same. Both 'Nazar' and 'Naina' revolve around the same theme - about a woman who sees strange visions around her. An Indo-Pak collaboration, 'Nazar' - a Mukesh Bhatt production is a Mahesh Bhatt-Sevy Ali presentation that marks the directorial debut of another family member - Soni Razdan. With a good idea in hand, Soni does all she can to execute it well. Though all goes well, how one wishes the production values could have been higher, the star cast more saleable and the presentation slicker. Never mind these shortcomings, 'Nazar' still makes for a gripping two hours, hence making it a satisfying affair.

Nazar' is the story of a pop singer and dancer Divya [Meera], who is a loner despite a successful career. There are only two people in her life - Amina-bi [a caring aunt] and Dr. Tarun [Ally Khan], a psychiatrist who loves her unconditionally (albeit one sided). On an eventful night, she comes across the dead body of a girl lying in a secluded spot. A few eerie moments later, her life changes forever! She now has the powers to see murders happening just a few moments before they actually happen. Strange things start happening to her, as she starts seeing mysterious faces in the lobbies, near the elevators and in the mirror! While she starts to loose her peace of mind, there is a serial killer on the prowl murdering girls in the city. Common thread in each of the murders? Each of the girls is a bar dancer and has been murdered with clinical precision. Enter Inspector Sujata, [Koel Poorie - who played the lead role in 'White Noise'] who is now on a mission to catch the killer. She asks for support from the cop Rohan Sethi [Ashmit Patel - in an absolute miscast], who has a tragic past of his own.

Divya approaches Inspector Sujata with her 'visions' theory, but she is mocked and rejected. But like a true gentleman, Rohan shows confidence in her and lends her an ear (and later his arms). And from here on starts Divya’s journey into the world of crime, supernatural, sensory visions, mystery, fear, and finally death - which is awaiting at her own door! What is it that links Divya's visions to the serial killings in the city? Why is it that only Divya gets these powers? How do Sujata and Rohan fit into this story of love, hatred, jealousy and crime? The story takes altogether unpredictable twists in the pre-climax and climax portions and just when the picture starts becoming clearer, there is another smart twist in the story that shocks the viewers!

In a genre like 'Nazar', there are two things, which are absolute requirements. One, the movie should remain true to the plot and the viewer shouldn't get a single moment to be diverted. Two, the climax should be strong enough to justify the proceedings of two hours before this. To a large extent, Soni Razdan succeeds in meeting both the requirements. There are no comedy or daddy-mummy-bhaiya angles that make for an unnecessary interruption. Nor are there any unwanted romantic sequences that divert your attention from the plot. Yes, the dream sequence in the second half (when Ashmit fantasizes about Meera in the title song) does stand out as sore thumb and its immediate removal would only make the proceedings crisper!

Though the screenplay is not without its share of flaws, it is still far better than the childish plot in 'Zeher' where the mystery and the proceedings-to-be were clear in first 30 minutes itself. At least 'Nazar' tests the intelligence of the viewer and keeps him guessing throughout (though there are a couple of intentional shots in the first half of the movie that do give a subtle hint to the killer's identity!). A couple of sequences do manage to throw you off your seat (when the dead body wakes up in front of Meera and the hospital sequence) and keep you uncomfortably glued to them (Meera's visit to Neena Gupta and their interaction, the lady in a red light area narrating the story of the killed bar girl and Meera's visions in the pre-climax about the murder that is about to happen).

Soni Razdan handles the complex subject rather well and maintains good pace throughout. While the first half is sluggish at places (and a bit predictable) in order to establish the characters, it is actually the second half that makes one sit, take notice and be involved. The movie has a Vikram Bhatt touch at places and certain sequences also remind one of 'Kasoor' and 'Raaz'.

Meera sends a strong message to Bollywood regarding her being an actress of substance. Any novice actress in her place may have made a mockery of herself in a role that requires a lot of fearful expressions, confusion and shrieks. But Meera does all this as a pro and sets her feet in the right direction. A woman-oriented movie, 'Nazar' gives ample chance for Meera to display her histrionics and she manages to do that pretty well. In addition, she also shows that she can be glamorous if need be (through wonderfully choreographed 'Pyaar Asth' and the title song 'Mere Dil Me Raho'). Though she could just be more consistent about her makeup.

With no scope whatsoever in the script, Ashmit Patel does his best to act convincing as a cop. He doesn't act badly but the role of a cop doesn't suit him at all. The body language, voice, flowing hair, loose denim shirts - all of these make him more of a cool dude than a cop.

Koel Poorie is patchy - at places good but at others just average. She needs to work on her voice, which sounds squeaky because she appears more funny than serious while arguing a point with her seniors or ordering her subordinates.

In the supporting cast, the much talked about cameo by Neena Gupta is just about OK. Vishwajeet Pradhan (a Bhatt regular) is as usual. Ally Khan is passable (why did he have to imitate Mahesh Bhatt's style in the initial scenes?). Avataar Gill and Bobby Darling have no role to talk about. Cinematography is hazy at places. Special effects are average. Tunes by Anu Malik are just passable but the songs do well to take the story further. Background music is fine (though not extraordinary) and does well for the narrative.

One thing that is common in all the recent Bhatt films is that they all [Jism, Murder, Paap, Rog, Zeher] have revolved around crime. After watching 'Nazar', one feels that all the controversy before it's release was simply unwarranted. If the promotion had been more aggressive around the plot of the movie and the promos slicker, 'Nazar' would have taken a much better opening than it has this weekend. The movie is definitely not bad and has enough moments to keep one engaged throughout the proceedings. Don't look for a classic or a path breaking film. 'Nazar' is an above average fare that can be watched for a decent time pass.

**1/2 (TWO AND A HALF STARS)
*poor; **average; ***good; ****very good; *****excellent

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