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Dhobi Ghat (2010)

Director: Kiran Rao

Time Out rating

Average user rating

10 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

When Bollywood A-lister Aamir Khan casually utters ‘fuck’ in English early in this Hindi film, you know this is not your typical ‘masala’ movie. First-time female director Kiran Rao’s (wife of Khan) debut is a delightful delve into the daily lives of ordinary Bombayites. We encounter Arun (Khan), an artist who is jaded with life and seeking inspiration. This divorced loner finds it in the abandoned video diaries he discovers in his new flat: who is the mysterious ‘Yasmin’ (Kriti Malhotra) in the tapes and where is she?

Meanwhile, Shai (Monica Dogra), an American NRI (‘Non Resident Indian’) is taking a gap year from her corporate banking job. She dabbles in photography by taking snapshots of life in India’s ‘maximum city’. Then there's Munna (Prateik), a lowly ‘dhobi’ (laundry man), who softens his ‘slumdog’ existence by dreaming of becoming the next Bollywood superstar. He is the link between Arun and Shai. Gradually, an unlikely but believable bond develops between them.

Quirky camera-work and Gustavo Santaolalla’s (‘Brokeback Mountain’) understated score blend seamlessly with the sounds of the Mumbai streets giving us a real flavour of Mumbai life. We are sucked into the daily trials and tribulations of these characters, and the impossibility of a fruitful romantic relationship across the class divide between Shai and Munna is plausibly examined.

Rao sensibly avoids any dramatic Bollywood-style confrontations; she lets events speak for themselves. Shai’s middle-class friends find her ‘dhobi-boy’ alliance laughable whilst Munna himself knows and is constantly reminded that boundaries must and cannot be crossed. Rao’s Renoir-type realism, so rare in mainstream Indian cinema, results in an accurate, funny and at times deeply moving portrait of desolate souls in a city and country which may be ‘shining’ but only for a select few. The Ozu-influenced climax, filmed in heavy chaotic Mumbai traffic, is one of the most bittersweet endings I have seen on film in years.

Author: Anil Sinanan

Time Out London Issue 2108: 13 – 19 January, 2108

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User reviews of this film

Ojasva Bhardwaj said...

Posted on Feb 20 2011 19:57 Awsome Art Movie.
Like the role of Monica(shai).

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Santosh said...

Posted on Feb 02 2011 07:02 An excellent and very fair review of a good movie (3 1/2 stars from me). This is NOT a Bollywood movie: it is a serious and interesting Indian movie. It provides insights into Mumbai life rarely seen on film.

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annonymous said...

Posted on Jan 31 2011 12:11 interesting. different. not your typical bollywood style film. Above average film 6.5/10.

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AD said...

Posted on Jan 27 2011 15:23 The review paints a very intriguing portrait of this off-beat film from India. It is worth a watch for some of the nuances the writer cleverly teases us with.

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CB said...

Posted on Jan 27 2011 14:58 Very interesting and thoughtful review, as always, by Anil Sinanaan. Looking fwd to seeing this one.

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GS said...

Posted on Jan 27 2011 11:47 This is an absorbing look at the lives of people in the big city of Bombay and it is done very well with a realistic feel to the whole thing.A very different kind of film. Recommended.

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Sherry said...

Posted on Jan 24 2011 17:20 I have not seen this movie but after the beguiling but seemingly objective decription and reviews, I am really looking forward to seeing it now! I would say a Bollywood movie that gets a four star rating is worthy of a look. .. and then there is Aamir thrown in too! Definitely a must see.

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Virginia said...

Posted on Jan 22 2011 22:48 I loved this film. It's the first of these Hindi "new age" movies I can recommend without reservation to just anyone, and I more or less see them all. No need for anyone to know - or forgive - any of the excesses of Bollywood - there just aren't any here, just a beautiful nuanced set of stories, with wonderful background music too.

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Peter said...

Posted on Jan 22 2011 12:04 Interesting film. Slow paced but intricate insights into mumbai lives.

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Russell said...

Posted on Jan 21 2011 21:31 Not an easy film to watch, particularly as it is multi lingual. Solipsism, Invisible barriers and moral vacuums inform this quite beautiful restrained film. Khan is understated, Dogra is quite the revelation.

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