JOIN USAs an admirer, one could safely say if you needed another reason to fall in love with Ranbir Kapoor, watch Barfi or Bh’fi as he calls it. As a critic shackled to the job, however, one is duty-bound to take a more objective view, habitually looking for flaws in a performance touched by genius.
A straightforward story of a deaf-mute boy named Murphy who grows up pronouncing his name Bh’fi, his autistic friend (Priyanka Chopra) and a young woman (Ileana D’Cruz) who discovers love in silence – Anurag Basu’s Barfi fills you up, making you laugh and teary-eyed by turns. Bh’fi endears himself as a mischievous boy who loves to woo a girl within five minutes of meeting her, blows flying kisses to other girls, takes on additional responsibility, is not averse to looting a bank when required, and loves playing cat and mouse with the local cop.
Priyanka as an autistic child may seem overdone in parts but she holds her own charmingly. And now we know why Ileana commands the highest fee for films down South.
Barfi does not take refuge in kind euphemisms like ‘differently abled’ and neither does it feel sorry for them. Instead, it highlights life. It is an example to be emulated — for this is mainstream cinema not dealt with commercially, evoking in you a love for great cinema once more.
Basu pays glowing tributes to the power and goodness of silent films — in the process, celebrating Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. He also loves an over-crowded mise-en-scene; promotes romance which does not revolve around flowers, bushes, coy glances and item numbers, and captures a 70s Darjeeling without it being awash in sepia.
Barfi reveals itself as much through content as it does through treatment. Written by Mohijit Mukerjee, the film would not have worked if not executed as meant. Brilliantly structured through editing (done by masters of their craft Anthony Gonsalvez and Akiv Ali) — Barfi uses flashbacks, split narrative, some jump cuts and commentary by principal characters on Bh’fi as they piece together his story for us.
Mostly devoid of dialogue, Barfi holds you down with exquisite sound design (Shajith Koyeri) and music score (Pritam) which fills the gaps or leaves them as is, creating a texture all their own, complementing the soft, rich tones created by cinematographers Ravi K Chandran and Ravi Varman.
It would be shocking if Barfi does not walk away with most of the awards this year.
Celebrate life, watch Barfi.