Raincoat [DVD]

A beautiful film, very slow moving and intense. It drew me in and I felt a great deal of sympathy for the characters. Aishwarya Rai really acts superbly and I was also impressed by Ajay Devgan whom I hadn't seen before. If you ONLY like the more popular 'Bollywood' films with a lot of changes of scene, singing and dancing, then this won't be for you. It's a very realistic drama which could easily transfer to the stage as a play. The only music is of the 'background' variety and it's glorious. Take a look at Amazon.com (rather than Amazon.co.uk) for a very long, superbly written review which covers every aspect of this moving film.

The haunting performance by Aishwaiya as a forlorn tragic wife who is visited by her erstwhile lover is the crowning prize in this mellow little movie filmed like a stageplay with intimate and cosy familiarity,that the two lovers who compromised their past love for the false security of matrimony still deceiving each other are very engaging ,yet still very much in love : the highpoint that wins your soul and captures your heart .

Aishwariya plays the wife who awaits an alcoholic husband amongst a horde of expensive antiques furnishings in a charade,this is a masterly act both as an innocent wife and as a tragic lover ,who has failed in both her roles but still has her humanity and emotional chastity ,this is a profoundly touching role and it is performed with genuine affect which is matched by the tenderness of Ajay Devgan ,who plays the impoverished lover in search of finance ,the deception becomes a tragic but great love story in it's great lie and the two characters lose their material effects but enhance their spirituality in a memorable and haunting love story.

The intimacy and proximity of the script is enhanced by the melodious musical score and the two main characters are redeemed by the pristine direction ,which is patient and gives time to evolve the characters .The director Rituparmo Ghosh is aware of his minimalist techniques and the economics of making an artistic gem within the confines of a commercial set-up,but he never compromises, yet suceeds in producing an artistic gem which plays upon your heart strings ,as is amply evident from the end results .

The brilliant cinematography with the brooding mood and haunting light make this a sombre and austere piece of realistic cinema which works at all levels ,it's bittersweet deceiving characters might be playing love games with each other but they totally suceed in satisfying the cinematic standards of excellence .

Aishwariya was cheated out of her well deserved National award in this truly winsome turn as a simple character , a housewife in a droll but brilliant performance which is both nuanced yet precious without her usual glamourous costumes and swank make-up but she still manages to look like a celestial vision in her simple costumes adorned with her rich histrionics .

The cinematic triumph was a fiscal disappointment in India but it still is a memorable and great piece of neo-realistic movie magic with an utterly romantic vision which is achieved rarely on screen ,its only meant for people who appreciate dramas that are intimate ,underplayed and also take time to evolve so do not expect a typical Indian movie but something centred on just two characters and their emotional gameplan and a very resonant and memorable finale .

This film was the most mind-numbingly dull experience I have ever had in my life. It attempts to be an art house film by eschewing the usual Indian film staples such as songs, fights and comedic goons. But it also dropped any storyline and any sense of excitement.

It basically consisted of 2 people sat in a room spinning lies to each other, interspersed with a few flashbacks to a time when these same 2 people were lovers. If you want a claustrophobic film set mostly in 1 place with a limited cast of characters (and some excitement), go for Hitchcock's "Dial M for Murder" or "Rope".

A huge cheer went up when the credits started to roll. It was worse than sitting in an M25 traffic jam. Thank God I only rented this instead of buying it.

Please learn from my experience and do not rent or, God forbid, purchase this film.