Paheli - Spoiler thread

[veracious]

I don't get the "omg snoooooze!" comments, either.. I watched it in company so maybe it was partly that but I also just really enjoyed it as a movie. I wasn't 100% connecting to the characters and I had my problems with the film but I don't think a film this pretty, with such a way of telling a story could be boring. Sarkar's my sleeping potion, not Paheli...

[Deewani_Aurat]

I don't get the "omg snoooooze!" comments, either.. I watched it in company so maybe it was partly that but I also just really enjoyed it as a movie. I wasn't 100% connecting to the characters and I had my problems with the film but I don't think a film this pretty, with such a way of telling a story could be boring. Sarkar's my sleeping potion, not Paheli...

Yeah the film had its problems but i think you could find something to oogle at for the movie.  I don't think its nearly as painful as some other movies we have to sit through.

Veracious you have Sarkar but for me Mohabbatein was the best 3.5 hours sleep of my life...

[silent_stalker]

I see why some people thought it was boring. I thought it was as well (at first) and a bit slow. But this was probably because i was watching without subs and the Hindi was a bit different to the norm.

[chand aur sitare]

Hello, I just watched this for maybe the third or fourth time last night and I wanted to chime in.  I don't know that this has been mentioned before re the puppets.  In Rajasthan, I believe they have travelling puppet shows that do tell folktales, so I think thats where they come in. 
I am a SRK lover, though I do acknowledge that he can be directed to overact.  This film truly shows his real abilities, I thought it was understated and tasteful.  As others have said (though I haven't read the whole thread), I thought the bhoot represented exactly what all women want--a man who will ask you what you want, who will dote on you endlessly and be romantic all the time (and look like SRK).  I did also like that character in opposition to the reality of life.  Real husbands don't always take the time to hear what we say, dote on us rarely and often put a halt to the romance even before the wedding bells ring!
In response to someone who said that Adi Chopra would take this and make it a better movie, I don't feel this is true.  It is one of the most non-cringeworthy movies that SRK has made, and I trust few directors to do so.  Ohh, and Adi Chopra wouldn't be on that list.

[dhartee]

In response to someone who said that Adi Chopra would take this and make it a better movie, I don't feel this is true.  It is one of the most non-cringeworthy movies that SRK has made, and I trust few directors to do so.  Ohh, and Adi Chopra wouldn't be on that list.

Paheli is an excellent movie.   It is an authentic Hindi movie, everything about it is Rajasthani.    Although I have been to Rajasthan a couple of times and absolutely love it, we have planned to go again as it is just like in the movie, colors, clothes, jewellery, food, music.  Paheli is one of the finest movies if one does not question the story, which was written 80 years ago and is fairytale, as someone said. 

I dont think Aditya would make a Paheli.   He is into Salaam Nameste, B&B and N&N etc, although has not directed any of them.   But he seems to be gifted, almost every movie made under him has been a goldmine for YRF.

I have probably repeated everything that has been discussed befofore,  sorry have not read all the posts.

[DCgal]

I am becoming a huge Amol Palekar fan - both as an actor and a Director.  I think he's a subtle director and I like that he addresses questions of women's roles in society. Anahaat was also a bit of a "fairy tale" - albeit a darker one, and a more slow moving film.  I use that word advisedly as it's not a folk tale, or magical, or a charming bit of story-telling, but it does feel like an old myth with a modern twist. I don't know how to classify that film.  It's daringly bold, baffling, and beautiful all at once.  It's a simple story with complex motivations. 

And from what I hear "Thodasa Roomani Ho Jaayen" also has magical elements addresses a woman's place in society.  I have not seen many of his films as I don't think many of the Marathi films make it to dvd distribution in the US (with subtitles no less), but I hope he does more that gets translated.

I loved him in Bhumika and Gol Maal as well.  I hope for more films from him soon.

[dhartee]

dcgal

I feel ignorant.   Does Amol make generally make movies in Marathi or Hindi?   I really like his work.   Would like to see if I can get his work in Hindi. 

Any recomendation?   Thanks.

[DCgal]

dcgal

I feel ignorant.   Does Amol make generally make movies in Marathi or Hindi?   I really like his work.   Would like to see if I can get his work in Hindi. 

Any recomendation?   Thanks.

I'm not sure, as I'm still getting up to speed on him, but looks like about 50/50, with a slight edge to Marathi.  Todassa that was mentioned is in Hindi.  As is Kairee (?) I think.  I haven't seen either of those yet.

[Cairbre]

For me the ending of Paheli is quite clear. Lachchis husband is absent from her life so she accepts a dream husband to replace him. "The Ghost" says himself at the ending that he is "...the yearning that resides in womans heart. I'm the love she wants". Ghost-Kishan is the love that Lachchi needs. Life with dream-Kishan filled with love but it's not without problems: she can't part from her dream, not even to go to visit her maternal home (scene with petals) and she doesn't want to be remembered that her husband is not real (after camel-race) because Lachchi realises that the dream must end one day. Same time while Lachchi continues living in her dream life, her husband Kishan begins to change. He starts to miss her wife and he realises that he should have treated her better. At the end he tries to reconnect with her. But Kishan does not fit in Lachchis life any more because he has been replaced with the dream-husband. Reality and dreams clash, both Kishans cannot excist after Lachchi has birthed her child, so the dream-life has to end. But it isn't Lachchi who changes, it's Kishan. At the desert he learns that Lachchi had loved the dream, and that dream had been true love for her. Kishans change is finalised right after Lachchi has told him whole truth about the dream-Kishan, that she needed love and acceptance and that is why she accepted the ghost for her life.

That is when "ghost enters Kishans body", or simply said that Kishan accepts the  love inside him. At the beginning of final scene Kishan is very clearly real Kishan, with his account books and worried looks but he now loves and accepts Lachchi. Story ends when Lachchi sees dream-Kishan inside real Kishan. The dream-husband had to be banished before Lachchi could see the love inside Kishan. So the solution is that Lachchi gets both of her lovers, she gets love and acceptance from her husband and that really is a happy ending.

In my opinion the riddle in Paheli is that it isn't a love story of Lachchi and the ghost but it is the love story of Lachchi and her husband Kishan. The ghost and all trickery is there only to confuse us

[etu]

Cairbre, thanks for your wonderfully well written point of view.

Perhaps a lot of us here at BW? can relate to having our dream lives verging on overtaking our realities. 

[etu]

I suppose the reviewers on straight.com are trying to be glib, detached and irreverant, but I've read this Paheli preview (for the Vancouver film fest) twice and still just find it irritating:
http://www.straight.com/content.cfm?id=20724

THE RIDDLE (India) A goofy, sappily romantic Bollywood fairy tale cranks up the eye candy with digital animation. When a beautiful new bride’s neglectful, workaholic husband leaves her for five years, a love-struck, shapeshifting ghost takes his form and wins her over. This is the finest possible cheese: historical Rajasthani settings span elaborate roof terraces and camel caravans, and the few musical numbers are multicoloured orgies of swirling saris. The famed Shahrukh Khan and Rani Mukherjee add irresistible star power too, but there’s no genre-busting here: this is pure, classical Indian filmmaking dressed up to high-tech cinematic excess. Granville 7, September 28 (3 p.m.), October 6 (9 p.m.) and 11 (3 p.m.) > Janet Smith

[DCgal]

I suppose the reviewers on straight.com are trying to be glib, detached and irreverant, but I've read this Paheli preview (for the Vancouver film fest) twice and still just find it irritating:
http://www.straight.com/content.cfm?id=20724

THE RIDDLE (India) A goofy, sappily romantic Bollywood fairy tale cranks up the eye candy with digital animation. When a beautiful new bride’s neglectful, workaholic husband leaves her for five years, a love-struck, shapeshifting ghost takes his form and wins her over. This is the finest possible cheese: historical Rajasthani settings span elaborate roof terraces and camel caravans, and the few musical numbers are multicoloured orgies of swirling saris. The famed Shahrukh Khan and Rani Mukherjee add irresistible star power too, but there’s no genre-busting here: this is pure, classical Indian filmmaking dressed up to high-tech cinematic excess. Granville 7, September 28 (3 p.m.), October 6 (9 p.m.) and 11 (3 p.m.) > Janet Smith

Sad, but typical...And I would hardly say it was "goofy" by any analysis - that makes it sound like it's a farce.  So not only it is snarky, but he is misleading people who may be expecting a comedy.
Cheese is, unfortunately, in the eye of the beholder.

[pkmail]

I Liked the movie Paheli very much  . In fact love it for its classical, cultural and ethnic setting.  But as the movie is very dialogue intensive, critical scenes stump me in appreciating full meaning, as a aspiring learner of hindi.
  . Can you guys/gals tell me

1. what does the "bhooth" sharukh tell in the first night to convince rani mukherjee

2. In the climax tell me what happens in Amitabh's scene and what is sharukh narrating to Rani Mukherjee in the climax scene. A broad sketch is enough. 

[pkmail]

I Liked the movie Paheli very much   . In fact love it for its classical, cultural and ethnic setting.  But as the movie is very dialogue intensive, critical scenes stump me in appreciating full meaning, as a aspiring learner of hindi.
  . Can you guys/gals tell me

1. what does the "bhooth" sharukh tell in the first night to convince rani mukherjee

2. In the climax tell me what happens in Amitabh's scene and what is sharukh narrating to Rani Mukherjee in the climax scene. A broad sketch is enough.

[AKlover4life]

although i LOVE srk and rani, i could've fallen asleep during the movie. the acting was ok, but the story was very undeveloped. it was a good idea though. i think the only thing that saved this movie was the AMAZING songs and lyrics.

[Poonam]

I Liked the movie Paheli very much   . In fact love it for its classical, cultural and ethnic setting.  But as the movie is very dialogue intensive, critical scenes stump me in appreciating full meaning, as a aspiring learner of hindi.
  . Can you guys/gals tell me

1. what does the "bhooth" sharukh tell in the first night to convince rani mukherjee

2. In the climax tell me what happens in Amitabh's scene and what is sharukh narrating to Rani Mukherjee in the climax scene. A broad sketch is enough.

1. He tells her the truth. That he's a spirit who can assume any form he chooses such as the crow, the squirrel and the blue bird he transformed himself into at the spot where her bridal caravan halted. He says because of his true love for her, he would not want to lie to her. It's her choice, whether to live with him or turn him away. That's the crux of the story, really. When she breaks down and weeps - because this is the first time in her life that someone has asked her to make a choice.

2. In order to trick the ghost into revealing himself, the shepherd says the true lover of Lachchi would be able to enter into the empty leather flask. The ghost sees this as a challenge to prove his love, so he dematerialises and enters the flask, which the shepherd promptly closes and throws away, teling Anupam Kher that his problem is now solved.

In the final scene, ShahRukh recaps this to Rani. He says he(as the ghost) entered the flask of his own free will, just to prove a point,  therefore he could also leave it when he chose to. For a spirit with his powers, to then enter and take over the body of Kishen is child's play .

[Poonam]

We've always focussed on how Lachchi had no say in her marriage and the events thereafter. But neither did Kishen. His bride was chosen for him. And he was duty bound to go on that 5-year business trip. So it's not only the women who lacked rights. Men were equally trapped in the system.

[wannabe]

We've always focussed on how Lachchi had no say in her marriage and the events thereafter. But neither did Kishen. His bride was chosen for him. And he was duty bound to go on that 5-year business trip. So it's not only the women who lacked rights. Men were equally trapped in the system.

Yeah, I made this point way back, Poonam, but it didn't find many takers. 

[I'm Not Lola]

I know that a lot of people didn't like this movie because of the ending...which I don't understand. I thought the movie was really nice and sweet because it was like a fairy tale. I thought SRK's performance was fine and he did a good job with the two different roles. Rani was okay but it wasn't one of her best performances imo. I love the music of the movie, esp Phir Raat Kati. Maybe i just liked the movie because SRK was in it... I should probably check it out again.

[Poonam]

. Maybe i just liked the movie because SRK was in it... I should probably check it out again.

Good enough reason to see it again Lola. 
But seriously, seeing it again helps you appreciate the many lovely, thoughtful aspects of this underestimated movie.

[malami]

Good enough reason to see it again Lola. 
But seriously, seeing it again helps you appreciate the many lovely, thoughtful aspects of this underestimated movie.

my thoughts exactly.i think it´s one of rare examples of visually beautiful movie that is not just an empty eye candy. shame that it got labelled as a mere fairy tale, though it works on that level as well;)

[I'm Not Lola]

Lol, I'll check it out again soon, but did anyone else find SRK looking really hot with that mustache

[smithie09]

Lol, I'll check it out again soon, but did anyone else find SRK looking really hot with that mustache

I didn't like the mustache...he looks better without it. 

We've always focussed on how Lachchi had no say in her marriage and the events thereafter. But neither did Kishen. His bride was chosen for him. And he was duty bound to go on that 5-year business trip. So it's not only the women who lacked rights. Men were equally trapped in the system.

I don't think it was the marriage that was the big issue.  Both seemed pretty excited about that.  The "events thereafter" as you put it is where I see the real problem.  I think there are two reasons that no one pays attention to Kishan even though, as you correctly point out Poonam and Wannabe, he also was bound by circumstances.  First, he never made any effort to resist.  Rattling your cage draws attention to the fact that you're locked up.  He didn't do that, Lachchi did. 

Second, he furthered Lachchi's entrapment.  He never even considered taking Lachchi with him, or grant her the courteousy of giving her notification of his plans more than a few hours in advance.  Maybe part of this is just the time period...but that really made me mad.  He had a fairly good alternative here.  By bringing Lachchi along, he could have fulfilled his obligations as both a son and a husband.  Instead, he just left her.  His abandonment, in some ways, was just as total and inexcusable as Juhi's husband's (sorry, I can't remember the name).

I also felt more sympathy for Lachchi because she actually took some agency.  She was faced with an excruciatingly difficult decision, but instead of dodging the issue, she faces it and resists her circumstances.  Instead of being a victim, becomes a beneficiary. 

On another note; my favorite thing about the movie is the cinematography.  It's so beautiful and I love how they play with the theme of illusions.  If you watch, there are a lot of reflections in the film...

[etu]

On another note; my favorite thing about the movie is the cinematography.  It's so beautiful and I love how they play with the theme of illusions.  If you watch, there are a lot of reflections in the film...

Smithie, the cinematography is my favorite aspect of Paheli, too. I especially appreciated when the camera pans leftward, away from the bhoot on the right edge, and stops panning when it finds him again on the left side of the frame. Some directors move the camera just because they can, but this director has it move to add to the film's magical touch.

[Nayika]

On another note; my favorite thing about the movie is the cinematography.  It's so beautiful and I love how they play with the theme of illusions.  If you watch, there are a lot of reflections in the film...

Another admirer of the film and the cinematography  I actually did an essay about Paheli for my Film Studies class last semester and I am happy to say I got an A for it