Hazaaron Khwaishen Aisi

Nothing much happened today...oh, I saw a very good film today, Hazaaron Khwaishen Aisi. A Truly memorable film. Even though the film is set in th 70s, much of it is still relevant. Its a real wonder how Sudhir Mishra managed to capture all the angst and frustrations and love and despair into this film...
The film is about three friends, each of whom has different loyalties. Theres Siddharth (Kay Kay), Geeta (Chitrangda) and Vikram (Shiny Ahuja), three friends with differnt outlooks towards life. While Siddharth wants to bring a revolution and change the world order, Geeta is just happy being with Siddharth, whatever hi philosophy be. Vikram, a middle class boy with idealist Gandhian father, is ambitious and feels that all the talk of a revolution is useless and just wants to get to the top. A love triangle in place, the movie traces that path that each protagonist take over the course of a decade.
Siddharth goes from being a man driven completely by an ideology to a person who is able to question the ideology - he is even prepared to postpone the prolitarian revolution because the common people are not ready. He sees the tragedy in Bihar and acquires a human face.
Geeta marries an IAS officer but continues to see Siddharth on the sly, but after leading two lives, gives it up all for love, to live with Siddharth in Bihar, teaching, and in the process, giving up a cushy life. From a clueless person, she becomes a person with a mission.
Vikram becomes a fixer of sorts with the prower-set in Delhi, seeing a meteoric rise, but all this is still empty for him, as he does not have the one things that he really wants, Geeta. He finally gets her, but at what cost?
The film progresses with a purpose, and manages to portray each protagonists point of view without ever taking sides. No one is the bad guy here. Each is driven by his or her motivations.
Of the cast, Shiny Ahuja really shines. He manages to bring out the layers that his character demands. He is cocky with his colleauges and the power-set of Delhi, but before Geeta, he becomes completely vulnerable. All his ambitions come crashing down before his idealist father, who is his anti-thesis.
Kay Kay is given a role in which he cannot but shine. But he manages to do so without going over-the-board is a tribute to his poweress as an actor From being an idealist firebrand student to a budding revolutionary to a war-torn guerilla to a defeated revolutionary, he handles it with aplomb.
Chitrangda too is very good, onsidering it is her first role. That she is also a pleasure to look at helps.
All three are ably helped by a stellar supporting cast. Espically worth watching amony them is Siddharth's father, when he goes pleading for his son's safety.
All in all, a very good film.

On another note, you know your life sucks when the only highlight of your day is watching a movie. Thats life telling you to get a life.