KAREEB 1998

KAREEB 1998

BY

VIDHU VINOD CHOPRA

VVC is a very Indian filmmaker.Indianness just oozes out of his work.Mission Kashmir,KAreeb,Parinda and 1942 A Love Story are such beautiful films.Kareeb tells the saga of an innocent bum ,Bobby Deol,who while idling away his time falls in love with a beautiful girl,Neha.The boy is the son of a rich,miserly father,played superbly by Saurabh Shukla.The girl is the daughter of a widow,the very elegant and bubbly,Moushami Chatterjee.The film is set in Raiwalsar (Himachal),and the beauty of the place is captured in its full glory.

Bobby Deol has no idea about acting.But VVC exploits this naivety well and presents his dumbness as innocence.This works like magic.Bobby has full sympathy of the audience throughout.Neha looks as soft as petals,and has voice thinner than air.What a lovely couple the two of them make ! But this film belongs to Saurabh Shukla.Bloody asshole is outstanding in the mock-comic role of a stern and miserly father,who comes up with these viciously,hilarious lines to chide his son.No one else cud have pulled this role with such elan. Johny Lever has overdone his part,as is his wont.I dunno why he tries so hard,and can never keep his limbs in check.But thankfully he is not much of an eyesore here.Kareeb is a very watchable film,a labour of love,overloaded with sweetness and innocence and although it does get stretched a bit in the second half,yet I am surprised that it failed to do well at the box office when it released.I wud watch this film for Saurabh Shukla.