Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi

When i walked in the hall for this film, I had no idea what's its like and who were the people acting in it. Sometimes life is full of surprises and I guess this was one of it. I am not writing an actual review but my rendition of thoughts the character portrayed in the film. Though the background was 1970's, the story and more importantly the relationships between the three characters was main framework of the film which is beyond time. My interest in the film was least to explore the technical issues or social issues that form the background of the film. What came out to me was the ritualistic attitude of love and how it transforms in a deep understanding between people.

The film shows a triangle of love between three characters which was very different from the one shown in Johars and Chopras chocolate covered candy floss that we get to see routinely. Coming to the story- one pretty girl Geeta (Chitrangada Singh) and two guys - Siddharth (KayKay Menon) and Vikram (Shiny Ahuja). While Geeta is in love with Siddharth, Vikram is in love with Geeta. But the film does not start from here nor does it ends there. Geeta is an educated South Indian urban girl who loves Siddartha for his socialist ideology while Vikram comes from a middle class semi-urban semi-rural Gandhian family who wants to grow in life and does not idealize with the socialist movement. And Siddarth has one point of agenda- socialist movement. As time moves on, the love equation of 3 characters moves with time except for Geeta love for Siddarth and Vikram love for Geeta. As a result their life travels from Delhi to Bihar in peculiar situations each with their own equilibrium. Coming out from an unhappy marriage with an alcoholic IAS officer, Geeta moves to Bihar where she discovers not only her love for Siddarth but also an equal parallel love for the socialist movement. At the same time, Vikram rises in the corridors of power as a deal maker. With sudden declaration of emergency by Indira Gandhi, the situations and backdrop becomes raw and bloody. How each of these characters react in these situations perhaps defines what each of them felt what love was all about? There is a sudden twist at the end of the film which perhaps describes how each of the three characters grows as human beings. It's a life time treat and if you can watch the characters through your heart, you will find this film soul stirring. Another important highlight of this film is the music - beautiful poetry by Pratish Nandy, vocals by Shubha Mudgal, Swanand Kirkire and Shobha Joshi. Some excellent scores are "Hazaron Khwaishen Aisi", based on the famous ghazals by Mirza Ghalib and Swanand Kirkire's "Bavra Mann" which comes as a backdrop at all the significant points of the film taking the audience to even greater heights. A must watch for all the ones who would want to know what love is……..

I had no clue what the movie was about when I rented it, and I absolutely loved it. Though I felt there were a few oddities when I saw it for the first time, when I watched it for the second and third time, I was able to appreciate the excellent performances by the entire cast, and the awesome script. Especially Shiny Ahuja, who plays Vikram Malhotra to perfection - every single expression on his face throughout the movie was a 100% apt. I also loved the Indian-ness imbued in the settings - the houses, roads, cars, government buildings, sound of birds, Geeta's sarees etc. Made me feel deeply nostalgic. The music adds to the poignancy of the movie, and is used very fittingly, to create a dramatic effect in certain scenes. I highly recommend this movie to all movie buffs, because I think of it as a unique work of art from the Hindi film industry. It's entertaining to those who want light entertainment, provides food for thought to those who are keen on watching films with ideological themes, and is an absolute must-see for die-hard romantics.

A real breath of fresh air in Indian cinema, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi is a very real, earnest, crackling-with-life portrayal of what it (apparently) was like to be a college student in Delhi in the late 60s and 70s with the opposing currents of Marxism and (indira) Gandhian totalitarianism. Intertwined with the ideology and the politics is a love story of three people, who start off with different ideas and whose ideas criss-cross in the course of the film. Superb direction, vibrant cinematography, slick editing, lovely music and superlative performances from all three protagonists make for a thoroughly satisfying cinematic experience. The surprise package is Shiny Ahuja, whose model-boy looks belie a prodigious acting talent. Both Kay Kay Menon and Chitrangda Singh deliver superb performances with Chitrangda looking stunning throughout. People say she looks like Smita Patil, I wouldn't know. While the film is not without its faults, including the occasional stilted dialogues and imprecision in the narrative, the overall effect is good enough to make you forget these. Watch this and get high!!

PS. I also have a quibble with the way 5.1 sound was used quite ineffectively when it could have been much better employed in many scenes. But it's churlish to complain about such things in a treat of a movie!!

Here we go.After a long time finally i watched Haazaron Khwaishein Aisi.Or you can say'Thousand desires such as these'.Sudhir Mishra is a wonderful director.But he seemed somewhat lost during 'Chameli' and 'calcutta mail' when he tried to combine meaningful cinema with commercialism But with Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi he is back in form as he was during 'Is Raat Ki Subah Nahi' and 'dharavi' But most of the dialogues are in English

Story: Sidhharth(kay kay menon) is an idealist. Born to a Muslim lawyer father and a Hindu mother and believes in Marxism.The story traces Siddharth's journey from Marxist jargon to the Maoist (Naxalite) rebellion. His emotional attachment to Geeta does not stop him from his political pursuits. Post-college, Geeta(Chitrangada Singh) is married to an IAS officer but she continues to see Siddharth on the sly. Vikram(Shiny Ahuja) too has always nursed unconditional love in his heart for Geeta. But that's all there is to his soft side. A small town boy once, Vikram climbs the social ladder by networking in the big league unabashedly. Geeta ends her marriage and starts living in the village with Siddharth. This is the time in the film when Geeta's character evolves. From a London-bred girl to teaching village women, or having a child out of wedlock or asking favours from Vikram in hours of need to a lot of other gruesome realities, Geeta discovers herself. The story movies on. The characters mature and move on. They regret. They apologise. They change. Their lives are not the same.

Hazaaron Khwashien Aisi is path breaking cinema in every aspect.There are movies and movies and movies..then comes Hazaron Khwaishein Aisi.Hazaaron Khwaishen Aisi..'thousands of desires such as these'. Life is full of desires.We keep on desiring more and more but how much our desires gets fulfilled?

Kay Kay is good as always.Given the screen time he have got he is good in that.His faith..his ideology and to live for a reason makes u think.He is just perfect

Chitrangada Singh playing the central character is even better than a performance what you can call outstanding The way her character shapes up.From a student to a lover and then living for a cause she is simply outstanding. Her performance is totally flawless.And yes she reminds you of Smita Patil.Both in looks and in acting

And now Shiny Ahuja.From a one sided lover to mastermind rich broker and a person who receives the worst fate he is simply 'Incredible'. Your heart will go for him.His unconditional love and the way he helps geeta over and again is simply out of the world. Love should be unconditional..if there are conditions it doesnot remain love.The character of 'Vikram Malhotra' is so much powerful it will left you thinking about him even after movie ends.In the scene in which he says 'I am getting married' and then he starts dancing and the soulful music 'Mohabbat Mein Nai Hai Farq Jeene Aur Marne Ka Usi Ko Dekh Kar Jeete Hai Jis Kaafir Pe Dum Nikle'. The pain,agony and sadness which he delivers through his smile just leaves u speechless

Music is of high standard.Lyrics are so much meaningfull and heart touching

What makes the movie stand out is the subtle way in which the motivations of each of the characters evolve through the story and the delicate and restrained portrayal of their melange of emotions affecting their decisions at different points of time with different political and social contexts. As my favourite movie critic Mayank Shekhar sums up this movie 'It is this most relevant and urgent mirror of our period that makes Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi one of the most significant films of any time. And a film that I think college kids should remember Mishra by. The confrontation between Siddharth and his dad when his dad says 'So u have faith in an ideology that talks about violation and murder of people as a way of changing the system..what gives u that right?'..Simply incredible

Its definitely one of the best films of this decade.Hard-hitting yet so subtle Its a much watch for everyone who loves quality cinema. A thousand desires such as these...left unfulfilled

Finally i would end this review with the incredible lyrics of the song 'Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi'

A thousand desires such as these A thousand moments to set this night on fire Reach out and you can touch them You can touch them with your silences You can reach them with your lust Rivers mountains rain Rain against a torrid hill's cape A thousand A thousand desires such as these

I loved rain as a child As a lost young man Empty landscapes Bleached by a tired sun And then And then Suddenly it came Like a dark unknown women Her eyes scorched my silences Her body wrapped itself around me Like a summer without end

Pause me hold me reach me Where no man has gone Crossing the seven seas With the wings of fire I fly towards nowhere And you Rivers mountains rain Rain against a scorched landscape of pain

A thousand desires such as these A thousand moments to set this night on fire Reach out and you can touch them You can touch them with your silences You can reach them with your lust Rivers mountains rain Rain against the torrid hill's cape A thousand, A thousand desires such as these ...........

A few days ago, I watched Sudhir Mishra's Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi with some friends. I am still thinking of it after more than a week has passed. Rare does it happen that an Indian movie leaves such a lasting impression. It is refreshingly bold in its portrayal of its central characters and the story of their personal journeys in search for their identities.

The story is set in the early 70's when emergency and pro-poor (naxalite) movement shaped the thoughts and actions of millions of idealistic youth in India. The story deals with three characters- two males and a female, each from a different stratum of Indian society- each with different passions, goals and idealism. It is their story of love, hope and final attainment of their goals.

The central and most important character is without doubt Chitrangada Singh's Geeta. Her idealism draws her to revolutionary ideas, but she is torn by her need for the softer, more materialistic things of life, for love and a family. This constant pull shapes her life, her choices, and her final destination, depicted touchingly in the end of the movie. She is shown as the most human of all the characters, making her the most believable and most admirable. On one hand, I am in awe of her strength and inner resolve; on the other hand, I feel her suffering and emotional trauma.

KayKay Menon's character Siddharth starts out as a youth of privilege who takes a bold step of fighting for the cause he believes in, leaving behind his only true love. He struggles with the repressive authorities and the demons with in him- his sudden realization that he is after all human in the chase scene, had a dramatic effect on me, suddenly bringing other side of his nature into sharp perspective. His desire to fight out the authorities is derived from his own insecurities about himself. He finds his closure when he accepts his failures.

The most complex of all these characters is Shiny Ahuja's Vikram. His desire to climb the social ladder is surpassed only by his fiery passion for Geeta. She is the only centrality to his other wise meaningless, high powered, and politically connected life. She makes him yearn for making himself successful, and that is what drives her away from him. His choices can be understood only in the context of the complex and unfulfilled relationship he shares with Geeta. His love is never requited in the true sense of the word. Nevertheless, he is the one who finally brings meaning back into Geeta's life.

Technically, the movie is very good, with nice camera work and precise scissors of the editor. Some scenes are breathtaking in their beauty. Dialogues are sometimes difficult to understand, but that ends up adding to the over all tension of the movie. A must watch for any lover of good cinema!