I like writing. More than writing, I like to read what I've written over and over. The satisfaction that it gives me should be enough to get me to write every day. Unfortunately, there is another factor involved in every writer's life and that is laziness. When it comes to me, it overrides everything and never let's me write. But when I do write, it always means, that somehow I overcame that massive burden and set aside my laziness. This really means that the idea really touched me and I want to get it out of me, lest pondering over it suffocates my mental sanity in my daily life.
Such a strong introduction might suggest that I would be writing something deeply philosophical or political or whatver that is of great importance in this dying world. But you might be disappointed. I am going to write my first movie review ever. I've always wanted to start writing movie reviews, being inspired by one of the smartest bloggers - Kaushik Chatterji aka Jaadoo. So today, I'll talk about a relatively unknown film which goes by the same title as this post - Socha Na Tha. Some of you might wonder, how and why would the need to review a random movie move be enough for me to set aside that massive giant of laziness and grab my keyboard. Well, I have my reasons and you are free to speculate.
I watched Socha Na Tha, a long while ago. In a time when I had no liking for films and moreover an evident repugnance for romantic films. It is an unusual love story, involving simple people. The story is pretty straightforward albeit not the one you usually get to see in a typical Bollywood film. It was made by then a rookie, Imtiaz Ali and had newcomers like Abhay Deol and Ayesha Takia. And just to remind you, I saw this film before I was an Abhay Deol fan. The USP of the film is how with a simple story, Imtiaz Ali really churns out something unique. Up until now, I used to think that it's painfully accurate. But, I correct myself and now say that it has a lot of reality with a fairytale-ish ending.
The story goes like this. The boy's family alongwith the boy visits the girl's family with a rishta. But the boy is just out of college and is not very serious about life. Morever he has a girlfriend. The girl is also pretty cool and they both just decide that they don't like each other and shouldn't marry. The rishta goes all south and their families move on. But, this movie being this movie, they remain friends and start getting close to each other. Unfortunately both of them get engaged before the boy finally realizes that he likes the girl. But then it's too late. Then come's the unexpected and thoroughly entertaining ending.
The thing which I like most about the movie is the flippant yet honest nature of the protagonist in the movie. I didn't realize it back then, but now being in the same age group as that of him, I realize how true it is. This realization actually made me like the movie even more. This is exactly what you are when you are in your mid 20s. You don't know what you want. You don't know what's good for you. In a time when everyone including and espicially your parents want you to know to atleast what you want in life, you are under constant pressure. I mean, how hard can it be to know what you want? Even a child knows what kind of he/she wants. But well, it's not for nothing they call it quarter-life crisis. I haven't come across any other movie which puts is so beautifully intertwining it a real thing which every Indian boy or girl of that age has to go through: Shaadi!
Speaking of the end, it's fairytale-ish. The girl and the guy elope and we are left to think that it's all happy ever. But in Imtiaz Ali's defense, it is the only way it could work out. It is fairy-tailish, because the guy realizes it at exactly the right time. Even though things are messed up, he does his best to convince the girl. There's no guarantee of all this happening in real life. Most importantly, the girl agreeing to the guy's crazy plans. Finally, it's a movie and should be taken as one!
