Barah Aana: Not Even Worth That Much review

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The poster proclaims that it's a comedy. But there aren't too many moments in Barah Aana that will make you laugh. The serious moments outnumber the intentionally funny ones by a margin making ‘˜A Comedy of Real Life' a misleading blurb. The title itself is an allusion to that immortal song from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi. But the connection ends there. Despite the poster having its three lead characters staring at you from a taxi, the vehicle has little on no bearing on the story. OK then. Now that a few possible misconceptions have been cleared lets talk about the film.

Barah Aana is a tale of three men from North India who have migrated to Mumbai in search for work. For reasons of political correctness, I shall desist from using the B-word while referring to them. The first one lands up as a driver (Naseeruddin Shah), the second one as a watchman (Vijay Raaz) and the third one (Arjun Mathur) waits tables at a coffee shop. Financially challenged, they live in a congested slum where even your carnal moanings are privy to your neighbour's ears. They aren't doing too well at their jobs either. Naseeruddin has to constantly deal with an abusive mistress, Raaz is bearing the brunt of irate tenants and Mathur is unsuccessfully trying to woo a firangi lady he believes is falling for him.

From this triumvirate, Mathur is obviously the weakest link. Dressed in trendy clothes and exuding a distinctly urbane body language, he does not do justice to his role of the young migrant. Naseeruddin looks a bit sophisticated as the driver. And why has he been kept silent for a large part of the movie? Like Jerry Lewis from Bellboy who has only one spoken line in the last scene. But while that was justified what is Raja Menon's excuse for depriving us from hearing Naseeruddin's speech. He has one of the best deliveries in the film industry today. Half of his acting comes from the way he modulates his voice. To keep that part out is like asking a pugilist to box with one hand tied behind his back. There are many instances where his character is required to speak but doesn't. A jerk of the neck or a wave of the hand do what the voice is supposed to do. I found this entire quirk rather trite and forced. After a few such instances you realize that he is not dumb, just not speaking. Moreover, you bet he will start speaking as the climax draws closer, and he does. The surprise element has long gone by then.

Vijay Raaz comes the closest to embodying his character. His expressions, his posture, his dialect remind you of his P.K. Dubey from Monsoon Wedding. Only that one cracked you up, this one begs you for your sympathy. It's a role that needs to be re-written to match up with Raaz who is giving it his all but not getting it back in return.

Just before the interval, the film starts developing what looks like a plot. But it's too weakly constructed to hold your interest. And the running time of just one and a half hour is not enough to fully flesh it out. Menon rushes through the second half, bringing on the climax before it becomes due. And what's more, the climax itself is rather confusing. Twists in the plot come on faster than what you are prepared for and the loose ends are not resolved satisfactorily.

I left the theatre scratching my head.

[rating:1]