Ahista Ahista

Article Updated 19 August, 2006 01:45:23 AM IST

Ahista Ahista

The film really lives up to its name. It's very slow and moves at one pace throughout. It's a love story but not a typical boy meets girl sort. In a way it's an everyday story.

Ankush's (Abhay Deol) job is to help the people who are getting married in court. He acts as a witness. Here he meets Megha Joshi (Soha Ali Khan). She is waiting for her boyfriend, Dheeraj (Shayan Munshi). Both have eloped from Nainital and are scheduled to meet in Delhi where they plan to have a court marriage. She waits for him the whole day but he doesn't turn up. She is in tears and asks Ankush for help as she is penniless. We wonder, why an educated girl would run away from home without a single penny in her pocket! Ankush, being the good hearted soul helps her and later even borrows money from a friend to get her a job.

He falls in love with her. She too seems to be attracted to him. She has gotten over her ex-love, Dheeraj, and hates him with a passion. Ankush starts working in a bank and is making progress in life. He proposes to Megha. We assumed that she too wanted to marry him, at least from the way she responded to his declaration of love for her. So why does she suddenly want to think over his proposal.

Now in true filmi style, Dheeraj comes to Delhi and is searching desperately for Megha. Interval time!

Dheeraj comes to meet Ankush as he had left a message asking Dheeraj to call him on a certain number. This was two months back.

Ankush is shocked to see Dheeraj. He pretends to be some other Ankush as he does not want to reveal anything about Megha to Dheeraj now. He's scared of losing her to Dheeraj
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A series of lies later, Dheeraj and Megha meet and get married. There is no melodrama especially in the climax. This makes the film very flat as there is no graph. But the film has something fresh about its casting and the story is a bit of a surprise in the climax.

Now for the performances. Abhay Deol is a perfect natural. His dimples make him look very endearing. The naughty boyish streak in him adds to his appeal. He's also an earnest, sincere and honest actor. It's a pity that Bollywood has failed to recognize this talent, so far. But one thing he needs to improve on is his look, if he wants to go places in Bollywood. He has a very raw look. A little grooming, body toning and bingo, he has the makings of a star actor.

Soha Ali Khan is an improvement in comparison to her previous films, both in the acting and looks department. Shammi auntie is good. Shayan Munshi is adequate. Cinematography is okay. Some of the dialogues are genuinely funny. The songs have the Himesh Reshamiya touch but nothing to write home about.

'Ahista Ahista' is a sweet film but a bit slow and lacks any of the mass appeal value. To add to it, the lack of star value really makes this film a non-starter at the box office.

** (Two stars)

*poor; **average; ***good; ****very good; *****excellent

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