With his current masterwork, Ram Gopal Verma makes a new statement, different from all his previous films, which is exactly what was expected from the maestro from a long time.
For many viewers and reviewers, this may not be entertaining stuff from the MASTER and they might like to rate it quite low, taking it only as an average interpretation of a real-life incident from RGV's own point of view. But for me this is RGV's new avatar as a Cinematic Philosopher where he superbly goes on to explain the significance of that one tiny moment in the life of a person in love, where he loses control and commits a horrendous crime, without any hidden and prior intentions of doing it at all.
Apart from the master at work here, the three other aces in the film are its superb performances by the entire starcast (Mahie Gill, Deepak Dobriyal & Zakir Hussain), its fast paced slick editing and a well worked upon Background score which enhances the overall impact of the movie significantly. In fact I strongly feel that the film can be easily used to explain the importance and role of these two post production elements of film-making to the students of cinema.
The best part of NALS is that RGV never takes any sides of either of the killers in his second half. And then he ends the film with a well written open climax, showcasing a highly intense loving moment involving the lovers standing right in the middle of their family members, police officials and lawyers. And this last passionate scene of the film defines the feeling of LOVE within the couple, like never before in Indian CINEMA ever.
Moreover, what differentiates NALS from a normal film project is the way RGV brilliantly explains the value of those few moments full of anger, which become responsible for a serious crime committed without any prior motive. Particularly, in the court room sequences of the second half, the moment it is revealed that what actually happened in those few seconds, you feel like taken onto a dreadful trip within the sick & mean human mind which can go to any extreme to save his own self from a mistake already made. For instance after watching the film, just try to think for a moment that how ardently, the boy must have loved the girl whom he was visiting after a long gap and in return what the girl did, while opening the door crying like a baby. Again, just think how the girl must have made up all those words she said, in only a few seconds she had, which resulted in a dead body lying in her own house after a few minutes.
Hence, as I see it NOT A LOVE STORY is a must watch journey into the human mind capable of doing anything in those strong avoidable moments of ANGER & LUST. For the die-hard fans of RGV, the maestro is back in form with a blast and for students of the medium, here is another classy piece of art from the director, capable of teaching you many vital aspects of film-making in its two hours.
Interestingly, the basic storyline of the film is inspired from a real- life incident of Mumbai and very daringly RGV has also shot the whole movie in the same building in which the original crime was committed. Now the reason I rate it as an essential watch for every avid movie lover since RGV undergoes a notable change with this movie revealing a lot more about our present society and its questionable norms. It made me feel like watching an intense Hitchcock film after a long time.
In few words, I thoroughly enjoyed and loved watching NALS because :
With NOT A LOVE STORY, RGV uncovers the rotten, open and ugly face of our society where SEX clearly remains the biggest currency which can be used to get anything in the world under the sky.
With NOT A LOVE STORY, RGV once again clearly exposes the awful side of a LAWYER's profession and shows how disgustingly they try to mould the things to win their respective cases, stepping over the souls and emotions of their own clients.
With NOT A LOVE STORY, RGV bewares the viewers from the cunning desire and ambition of BEING SOMETHING above the others, for which a human mind can simply go to any extremes.
With NOT A LOVE STORY, RGV redefines the emotion of LOVE on Indian screen, especially in the concluding moments of the film which declare the pure love still existing between the two loving souls despite of all those dreadful happenings between them.
And With NOT A LOVE STORY, RGV reminds me, one of my own earlier statements written few months back that, "CRIME is an illegitimate and unwanted child of ANGER and therefore we should always take extra care before it gets conceived."
So as a conclusion do watch NOT A LOVE STORY for its hidden lesson, for Mahie Gill who is a true performer to look out for and for its highly realistic treatment given by the director, accompanied by an outstanding background score by Sandeep Chowta. Further just remember to watch out the sequence in which RGV uses his own song from "RANGEELA" to explain the inner conflicts of the girl, while she is being arrested.
Highly recommended for all lovers of intense cinema.
