In Lekin, Sameer, a museum curator working for the government, is sent to Rajasthan to evaluate artifacts in an ancient mansion which ages ago belonged to Raja Param Singh and is now government property. His arrival in the region is marked by an eerie encounter with Rewa, a beautiful woman who he gradually realises is actually a ghost. Sameer is fascinated by her sporadic apparitions and is greatly absorbed by this phenomenon. When their encounters grow, and their interactions deepen, she presents him with a live flashback which reenacts the mansion's history, which includes her tragic story of captivity in the hands of the ruthless king. Sameer is quick to understand that Rewa is stranded between worlds and needs to complete her journey across the desert to find liberation. He becomes determined to help her through this journey and liberate her.
Lekin is a work of transcendent art. One can hardly ever expect less than pure artistry from Gulzar, and this film, like most of his previous ventures, is poetic, poignant, profound, and deeply affecting. The film is beautifully photographed, with extraordinary setting, costume design, background score and overall high production values masterfully used to depict its magical realism. Written with fantastic creativity and directed with fervour by Gulzar, Lekin is an experimental piece, which wavers between supernatural suspense, platonic romance, thrilling adventure, or even coming of age drama. And it threads between all those genres by embracing its rich folkloristic fantasy. The use of symbolism enhances the narrative, the way the ghostly apparitions and past imagery are presented is most enchanting, while the story in flashbacks really tugs at the heartstrings.
The film's use of magical realism is a very rare occasion in Hindi cinema. Particularly interesting is its approach to supernatural phenomena, which are seen through an intellectual lens. The film is not simply a fantasy, it's a riveting mystery which poses questions without fully knowing the answers to them. Sameer himself is presented as a rationalist; a worldly man who doesn't believe in superstitions, cameos, let alone ghosts, but this incident throws him off balance and makes him question the very core of his convictions. Still, he goes to consult not some conning psychic but a professor of parapsychology. Above all, he is totally intrigued by this woman and aims to understand her motives. I believe the character of Sameer reflects in a way Gulzar, also the film's writer, who was perhaps as curious about the subject as Sameer appears to be.
In this sense, Lekin is an exploratory film as much as it is a delightful mystery romance. Despite its undeniable beauty, some viewers might find the film even a little disturbing both because of the analytical handling but also the harrowing story in the flashbacks. Since science can explain much of what is often rendered occult, thinking viewers observing Sameer's interactions with the ghost, are likely to feel there's some problem with him just like his friends in the film do, and that it is his sub-conscious that fills his sense of reality. You really feel for him and wish for his return into his own previous self. Lekin after all works more than anything as a great mystery offering rich cultural insight of the feudalistic system in India and the destructive nature of class hierarchy. As a character, Rewa, the unblinking ghost, is a sight to behold, and she is heart-touching just as she is enigmatic.
The acting is roundly excellent. Vinod Khanna is on top of his game, giving a wonderfully compassionate performance which isn't easy to etch out. Amjad Khan and Beena Banerjee are wonderful as his worried friends. A graceful Hema Malini gives a knock-out dance number and a nice conclusion in the last scene. Needless to say, it is Dimple Kapadia who gives the film its dramatic poignancy and ethereal tone in what emerges as a fascinating portrait of expectancy. Her presence alone conveys such a powerful sense of otherworldliness, but then those expressive eyes - they are haunting, and through that eager glimmer of melancholy they register such yearning and longing. That this film achieves its desired aura of magical mystery is mostly to her credit. Even in the musical numbers, there's incredible ardor in her convictions. She is unforgettable.
Hridaynath Mangeshkar's music gives life to the film, through its extraordinary melodies, brilliant lyrics and phenomenal visualisation on screen. The phenomenal musical numbers are topped by Lata Mangeshkar's otherworldly rendition of "Yaara Silli Silli", a piece of unmatched melodic, lyrical and instrumental harmony and, how not, one of the greatest vocal performances one can imagine. Indeed, without taking anything away from Gulzar's script, the acting, and the overall brilliance of Lekin, it is Lata Mangeshkar who is its ultimate winner. Lekin is one of the prime artistic achievements of her illustrious career, as far-reaching as it may sound considering she was the voice of a nation, whose lasting impact on Indian culture and the overall Indian experience remains unparalleled, and that she also happens to be one of the most prolific recording artists in history.
A few words then about Mangeshkar, who had decided to produce the film in order to have an opportunity to sing what her heart longed for. It's hardly surprising that the outcome is so good, as one can never expect less than sheer perfection from a paragon whose divine voice is a force of nature and one of the great wonders in the history of music. It is thus so fitting if not instantly obvious that she, a supernatural being in her life, is the one responsible for this supernatural film. Likewise, while she is no longer with us, her music lives on forever, making her immortal just like the film's premise suggests; her eternal presence in the hearts of millions totally matches the eternal essence that 'Lekin' encapsulates. The film is one gem of a movie, it is among the best works of Gulzar and Kapadia's careers, and today, more than ever, a tribute to Mangeshkar's enduring legacy.
