Dear Life, Let's Connect!

March 22, 2017

#DearZindagi (Dear Life): ❣☺

A splendidly picturised 2016 mental-to-mentor movie starring *Shahrukh 'SRK' Khan* (Jahangir Khan) and *Alia Bhatt* (Kaira) in key roles. 👥😘

What simply attracts viewers is the simplicity and brutal honestly with which it has been directed by *Gauri Shinde* (English Vinglish fame).

What one realises is the dearth of Indian cinema where females play the lead and depict strong characters on-screen. While the movie revolves around the flailing life of Kaira, who struggles to find a balance physically and mentally, with regards to relationships, rhetorics and regression, the positive vibes are panned out through one of *Shahrukh Khan's* most sublime performances till date. *No unnecessary drama, no over-the-board emotional encounters, just plain and simple dialogue delivery, with his tongue-in-cheek smile and dimple, which has made him the heartthrob of women across the world, between the ages of 16 to 60.#ThatsCharisma* 😍😘😎

While the movie begins, with Kaira doing a hellavu job as a stop-gap cinematographer, she aspires to spread her wings and explore her creative demeanour, through challenging assignments within the Indian film industry.

Though her intent to receive name and fame through good work is credit worthy, she struggles to find a safe playground within her personal life, owing to a troubled childhood, lack of attention, nostalgic connect with her Grandmother, abuse of alcohol and spurious one-night stands, which tends to *detach her soul from the body of emotions she holds within.* 😔😩😐

An opportunity to shoot in the US, with her current flame (Kunal Kapoor - Raghavendra) gives her hope for a while, only to find out that he himself is recuperating from the wounds of a past relationship, that haven't healed over a period of time. 😷

As Kaira, puts up a brave face and returns back from *Lala Land*, a chance eavesdropping at a *mental health conference*, introduces her to SRK (Jahangir Khan, a.k.a., Jugs), who is a *shrink by profession, thinks unconventionally and does not pay heed to tried and tested methods of 'treating' patients.*😁😆😉

Kaira feels the need for sessions under Jugs, with the sole intent of *mental spring-cleaning and to do away with any cobwebs that infest her thought process.*

Routine-based daily sessions with Jugs, on the muddy shores of Goa, under the basking sun, helps peel out layers within Kaira's conscience, of which she had no clue of earlier. Every session with Jugs gives her life lessons and soothes her nerves towards approaching life better.

The family reunion scene where Kaira vents our her frustration, through *schizophrenic rants*, is emboldening and defines the coming-of-age of an actor like Alia Bhatt.

Credit to *Ira Dubey* (Fatima) and Kaira's scores of friends, who stand by her, whenever required. The #perils of having a great network is evident in this movie.

SRK goes sober and delivers a performance, beyond the conventional run-of-the-mill romance-dipped performances he is known for. Majority of his scenes are within the observation room, on a couch, having face-to-face conversations with Alia, with the *odd jump into the outside world, for pure symbolism-spiced pep talk!*

The romantic inclination of Alia towards SRK could've been avoided, however I'm sure the director brought that in, *to strum a chord and create a melancholy between the cinematic experience and the cinema-goers PoV.*

Kunal Kapoor, Angad Bedi and a lot of the elderly star cast have a blink-and-you-will-miss sort of roles, which were demands of the movie considering that *inner demon slaying* occupied the main chunk of the storyline!

*Fist bump* to R Balki (Producer) and Gauri Shinde (Director), the husband-wife duo, for thinking like madmen and scripting a story that *reeks of unconventionality in every scene.*

I'd still like to think Alia wasn't the perfect fit for this role, however her conviction towards playing the troubled woman with a past was a treat to watch! A performance like this will definitely help her breakout from the mould of movies, she's become known for and go *hammer and tongs* (pun: intended) towards more compelling cinema! 🎥

Thank you, *SRK* for making cinema goers believe you have it in you, to still enthrall, with minimalistic efforts!

Indulge in this movie, with a certain purpose in life. These movies could tend to put off the viewer, however with *a mind as clear as a slate and showing some compassion towards people with unstable minds for no reason of theirs, will surely help set a common frequency to atune one's senses.*

Have a good time at the movies! *Cheers to the brilliance on-screen and off it as well! #ActionAlwaysOn*