Delhi Six is ur Delhi fix!

Delhi Six is ur Delhi fix!

Delhi 6 is a celluloid love story - of the director's with the city!

The first half is a series of snapshots -
" Of a quaint old city where the milk of human kindness flows through everyone's veins
" The typical Chandni Chowk like gallis, narrow & winding, dotted with jalebi-waalas, who accost you with their garam garam offerings
" Where cycle rickshaws rule as the only mode of transport
" That happy 'mohulla' where Hindus & Muslims co-exist & peacefully watch the Ramleela unfold!
" Abhishek is that amiable American dude who thankfully has no accent or attitude - he serenely adapts : to power cuts, water-shortage, raps & jogs around the place, hangs around watching his grand mom & her coterie of sahelis making aachaar on the 'chhatth' …
" Coming to think of it, the movie at times does feel like you are watching a home video of the return of the prodigal NRI son!
" Some affectionate potshots: how while there is no 'paani' in the taps, there is no shortage of it in the tear ducts of Indians!
" When the Saadhvi minister interrupts the Ramleela, the hero points out the irony of how only in India, even the Gods dance to Minister's tunes!
" There is also a very cute scene where the daadi, Waheeda Rehman is enthusiastically buying 'saamaan' for her own funeral!
" The hero of course has a Muslim mom, Hindu dad & loves all - his grand mom, his new Indian community, and the chatpatti girl next door, Billoo, who dreams of becoming the next Indian Idol!
" Delhi 6 is also an AR Rehman festival - the director simply allows the awesome music to rule and weaves his movie around the magical songs - pleasant videos with Delhi in the background, looking inviting - simply flow from gaanaa to gaanaa.
" Shades of Swades, but more upbeat!

Don't get me wrong. I was a willing participant while the love story unfolds - what's there not to like? Lilting music, Delhi never so lovingly represented, the ravishing Sonam Kapur, Abhishek who always surprises me with his understated acting, those character sketches which yes, are a tad too typical, but still, you would like to believe that folks like these exist - the jolly, suave, paan serving uncle (Rishi Kapoor), Waheeda as a dadi all of us would love to have, the loving clucking neighborhood women …..

Post interval, the director finally realizes he needs a story line too. So we get the human kaala Bandar, the beginning of communal violence, how a small incident can spark of animosity & divide …. Suddenly all those shimmering white souls turn to violent shades of grey!

So does the grey darken & become totally black, or … yeh Delhi (6) hai mere yaar … dekho aur jaano.

While it may not be Rakesh Mehra's best effort & not a patch on RDB, Delhi 6 gives you a Delhi fix!