Dobaaraa Review: Tapsee is magic on screen

At a time when risks are fatal, Anurag Kashyap makes bold to tell a kind of story that you may well associate with the Terminator genre. The ‘futuristic’ entry into the present to save a past, with an enigmatic split memory between original intent and contemporary content constitutes the basis of this two-hour plus thriller. […]

At a time when risks are fatal, Anurag Kashyap makes bold to tell a kind of story that you may well associate with the Terminator genre. The ‘futuristic’ entry into the present to save a past, with an enigmatic split memory between original intent and contemporary content constitutes the basis of this two-hour plus thriller.

Bollywood arguably is going through its worst patch. Without reflecting on the real, reel merge, it is only reasonable to assume that the industry is just one hit away from going back to its days of glory.

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Just like Virat Kohli. By style, content or design, Dobaaraa is not that. Even the Metro audience is going to find this tough to follow. We as viewers like our stories told within a certain context and a grammar almost alien to subtlety and style. Thinking while watching is anathema.

Kashyap tries all this. He credits the story to a Spanish film: Mirage. Did not see. Do not know. Compare, is thus out of question.

There is something about Do Baaraa that is riveting. Editor Aarati Bajaj has an extremely challenging task to put multiple time frames into a single narrative and yet keep the viewers engrossed. Sharp lines are softened with cinematic license often to keep the viewer interested and guessing.

As a filmmaker, Kashyap has obviously bitten off more he can chew. Many speakers, writers and artists either seriously consciously choose or fall prey to style over content. Perhaps it is a choice or even a comfort zone. This time over Kashyap nearly pulls it off.

In the centre of the happening is Avantika (Tapsee Pannu) who lives the life of a doctor and a nurse. In the neighbourhood a little child is eyewitness to a gory murder. His tale is disbelieved. Is he dead? Where has he disappeared? Also in the list of missing is the Doctor’s little daughter. There are broken marriages, skewed emotive spaces, a murder and a mystery wrapped in time when the protagonist goes to live in the same home from where the child was privy to the murder.

The film makes for a good watch particularly due to the presence of Tapsee who is fast proving to be the best author packed roles. Yet again she grows beyond everything else in the film and ensures you just follow her in the film.

Not an easy film. Definitely an interesting experiment. This is not for those yearning for dance song romance and the usual ingredients of mainstream Bollywood. The genre is targeted to a niche audience that will take a while to get to the theatre. Far from flawless yet stylized and well packaged with honest performances and devoid of usual frills.

Above all Tapsee is magic on the screen. In case you are one who does not see a conflict between a film ticket and some thinking, Dobaaraa is recommended. Of course, for Tapsee fans too.