A forgettable trip down the by-lanes of Delhi
Delhi 6 is a tribute to the never-say-die attitude of Delhi’s inhabitants. It is a story of ordinary people with extra-ordinary dreams. The flick catches some rare glimpses of an old, forgotten city of the past. Somewhere, the rest of us have left it behind. The old structures in the film speak of an era of virtue, tradition, morals and old-age myths, contrasted against the highrises, symbolizing a cultural deviation towards sleaze, slime and a dark future. The poverty inherent in the shots talks of a city left in the lurch by the onward reign of material progress, where still pigeons fly and girls blush at the prospect of love. The household belies the deprivation and pangs of poverty, set in the modern age, contrasting darkly against the abundance and lucre of modern day life.
It is a traditional family, still grappling with the onslaught of modernity and singeing in the failure of having lost out to forces out of their control. A family that has lost, stagnated in the hurry of modernity and losing its hold in the hustle-bustle of development. The characters say it all. Sonam Kapoor, the doe-eyed ancient beauty (she actually has long hair!), still talks of virtue side by side with the mention of burgers. The family members eat, sleep and talk animatedly and spend a life full of contentment, celebration and the small pleasures of a joint system, where members pledge their unity and live in unhindered honesty and virtue. Hard to digest? But that’s the truth! There is still a place on earth where a family of 12 can live in unity, and it’s right here in Delhi!
The title soundtrack sets the mood of the visuals. The crooner hoots out in utter passion the disposition of Delhiites. They have nothing else to trouble them except ‘Ishq, Muhabbat and Pyaar’. No wonder they are still languishing in the old by-lanes of a forgotten era. You wish you could dismiss them as easily, but no, you have to bear the dramatics of a ladies man, an over ambitious village belle and a whole family that thrives on their histrionics, Ugghh, right? Well, brace yourself, there’s more!! The soundtracks except the title track are mediocre. They actually got an ‘Angrez’ to sing in Hindi, that is quite an achievement in itself. It speaks loads about Bollywood going global and the script by Prasoon Joshi is inexorably native. Should we call it a return to our roots? But who wants to go back, certainly not I!! The only thing contemporary in the movie is the free running by Abhishek. Run from it, if I were you!!!
Neha Singh
Click here to Listen to Delhi 6 Songs including Masakli
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