Remember the American movie (Single White Female - 1992)? When (Jennifer Jason Leigh) was psychologically unstable, and went to imitate her roommate (Bridget Fonda) in nearly EVERYTHING! Well, I did remember it while watching (Musafir), whereas it imitates ridiculously American ANYTHING!
Director (Sanjay Gupta), who directed (Musafir) and co-wrote it, ensures whatever you may demand out of a purely commercial movie from the contemporary Indian cinema. And in the same time, his movie represents the majority of Bollywood production in the 2000s, as an ideal example for the shinny bottom that this cinema can reach!
First off, despite any onslaught you may do against (Gupta), you must admit that; with intensive technique, the man delivered what he promised. And what exactly did he promise? "Blood. Money. Sex. Tears. Murder. Betrayal.". Just like the tagline said it frankly.. So "Get the picture?!". But could ripping-off American movies, as well as imitating blindly their atmosphere and style, be a "style" in itself? I think: Yes. However, what a shameful proof of lack that could be!
I liked the old Indian movies. Surely they got their own problems, but at least were more original and more Indian. Now, and especially in (Musafir), it's nothing but American movies, American video clips, American style, and American music. Here, (Sanjay Gupta) made a mix of: A stolen American movie; Oliver Stone's (U Turn - 1997) this time + A gangsta rap singer's music video; overloaded with many girls, golden teeth, undulate smoke, rich limos, loud music, hostile lyrics, and - let's not forget - ice cubes in a glass of wine! + Some of Robert Rodriguez's style (in one sequence it seemed like a Desi Desperado!) + Possible plot concerning an angry Indian Don, filled with enough flying bullets and various corpses. All of that in a colorful, prurient, and psychedelic world that lengthens for - if you can stand - 151 minutes. It's hot, big, and in your face mix that embodies the crime Indian movie as pure American as it could be!
So, what this entertaining movie from the east could say? That the American pop became the pop?! It was like watching an overlapping of broadcasts that included the MTV channel, an American movie channel, and some Indian movie channel; all at once. So if you used to call the flashy pastime flicks a cotton candy, then this is the dope. Seriously, I felt that somebody gave (U Turn) a cheap Indian narcotic to hallucinate all what we watched!
Maybe it says that Bollywood has gone bankrupt. It has thick flamboyant surface and nothing else. For what it is, this is natural. For instance, James Bond movies have thick flamboyant surface and nothing else. But you know what?, Bond movies don't endeavor to be Indian! They have a script of their own, and a world of nonsense of their own. Therefore the numerous references here to Indian classics like (Zanjeer - 1973), or else, weren't only a source of pride, or a homage from movie to another, it was also a kind of desperate affirmation that this is India anyway, or what's left to define it!
Of course it says something about sheer technique just to amuse heavily. But the American movies are already there, so what exactly the Indian filmmakers have to offer?! Actually it looked like an Indian movie written and directed by Americans, or an American movie with Indian language and stars!
Speaking of which, It was scary to see (Anil Kapoor) knocked over by an American coolness storm like this; as if a vengeance of mad stylist hit him badly. (Sanjay Dutt) was the circus's silly clown. I only liked (Sameera Reddy), she was the sole true thing, however put there for just being exploited to the max. The drama was an excuse for too bright, too much, sizzle. And it's, as a whole, a cross between being a cinematic show and a bad joke.
Fairly, if you look at (Musafir), you'll find how it's amusing. But if you look closer, you'll find how it's totally poor also. So Bollywood wants to be Hollywood? Why not being yourself?! It was tragic that (Jennifer Jason Leigh) in (Single White Female) hated her own character, and went to live as another person. And the situation in (Musafir), or rather nowadays' Bollywood, isn't less tragic.
