#BaawrePremHe, Indian Marathi film movie review, #JohnsonThomas Rating: * * *

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#BawrePremHe(Marathi) Rating: * * * A romance with a difference, set in Goa. Maturely handled with a point of view that stays steadfast throughout. Amiable performances and stupendously harmonizing live recorded music, hauntingly melodious in effect add strong ambience to the overall affect. #SiddharthChandekar #UrmilaKanetkarKothare #AjayKishoreNaik #TrioEntertainments #MaitriProductions #ShivtaraEntertainmentProductions #NileshSingh #NimeshRameshDesai #VirendraNarhariChavan #KishoreNaik #JaideepYole #CineshoreMedia

Marathi Film Review

Johnson Thomas

A unique point of view for a traditional romance

Film: Bawre Prem He

Cast: Siddharth Chandekar, Urmila Kanitkar Kothare

Director: Ajay Kishor Naik

Rating: *  * *

Director/Scriptwriter/MusicDirector Ajay Kishor Naik, though he wears many hats , manages to be supremely competent in the areas of his expertise. We saw him do so in his last two films ‘Lagna Pahave Karun’ and ‘Satrangi Re.’ he brings that same dedication and talent to his latest offering ‘Bawre Prem He’(A crazy kind of Love), with Siddharth Chandekar debuting in a solo lead role alongside a more mature and experience Urmila Kanitkar Kothare. This one is a love story, a genre staple yes, nut with a certain difference. It’s not really mushy and overtly romantic in texture. The film takes off in the present where a successful poet/author  Neil Rajyadaksha(Siddharth Chandekar)’s latest book, ‘Tu’ which he claims to be his last, has been released and is being read by his most ardent fan. It’s a love story this time and appears to be an autobiography of his own love story that began in his callow youth and continued to a happily ever after- at least in the book. When questioned why it’s going to be his last? He replies. ‘This book has all the answers.”

The fan is not convinced and she stalks the author for a confirmation. Before that the entire love story is played out from the author’s point-of-view to the extent that whatever transpires has his own contextual frame of reference only. Younger callow youth meets older , more mature girl Ananya(Urmila) in Goa, while on a holiday with friends. An altercation between them leads to further involvement and the two keep bumping into each other . His perseverance and pursuit pays off and they become friends He wears his heart on his sleeve while she is reticent and not so forthcoming. They go around in circles-he wants to be in love while she is not sure that his love is the kind that will last the distance. She is conducting a literary research on forgotten love stories of Goa while he has just attained an engineering degree and is dabbling at poetry. Ananya also plays mentor to the budding  poet. Tragedy strikes and Neil has to return back to Pune to run the family business, due to his father’s unexpected demise. He is sure that he can win Ananya over once he is able to prove himself in the literary arena. 

The other sides are revealed only when the characters are ready to make the revelation. It’s an interesting ploy used to tell a stereotypical romance , lending it a certain newness and elegance that you won’t find in run-of-the-mill mainstream efforts. The narrative alternates between the curious fan reacting to the novel and the actual narrative following the lines in  the book ‘Tu.’ All the major characters in this romantic endeavor have great love for books. Ananya’s widowed mother(Supriya Vinod) is a librarian, while Gabby(Vidyadhar Joshi) who is Ananya’s friend, philosopher and guide, is well versed with stories about Goa. Ananya’s other friend runs a book shop and Ananya herself gets Neil to help out with a lit-fest that takes place during his stay there. The narrative packs a surprise in the third act and does it without any of the expected fanfare. 

Ajay Kishor Naik is assured in his takes and manages to get great performances from every member of his cast. Siddharth Chandekar is expressively revealing as the fresh faced youth happy to fall into a romance before he understands the meaning of true everlasting love.  Urmila is as pretty as she is assured and manages to assay Ananya with unsentimental panache –allowing the narrative to stay true to it’s story telling format.   The background score is emotive and the songs supremely melodious- performed and recorded with live music in a studio( a rare occurrence in today’s synth-tech world). The film is rich in production values ( in-spite of it’s mediocre budget of Rs.1.5 crore ) and the cinematography by Salil Sahasrabuddhe captures Goa beautifully, in all it’s varied facets. 

This is a genre film yes, but the manner in which it plays out makes the experience anything but.. You’ve got to watch it to understand!

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