Harishchandrachi Factory. Elizabeth Ekadashi. Chi Va Chi Sau Ka. Vaalvi. If you have seen all these films, you would know that I am not exaggerating if I say that I am a fan of Paresh Mokashi. You would also agree that this filmmaker is worth treasuring because of his refreshing cinematic voice. His filmmaking style is worth discussing for hours. I was looking forward to his latest Naach Ga Ghuma, and with a tinge of sadness, I would like to say that his commendable signature filmmaking style has changed a bit and sadly, not for good.
Naach Ga Ghuma is a story of Rani (Mukta Barve), her maid Aasha (Namrata Sambherao) and their love-hate relationship. The premise is unabashedly basic (to say the least). Maid problems (though relatable to a fairly big population in our country) are probably best enjoyed in memes, reels or video sketches. A full-length feature film on it is a challenge not every filmmaker would like to embrace. Trust Paresh Mokashi to turn it into a success. The disappointment can’t even be seen around. He skillfully generates empathy for everyone who works as a house help despite that partially cliched execution style. I gleamed after seeing the scene where this emotion is at its peak, misunderstandings are cleared, and the scene looked heavily inspired by the climax of Arjun Reddy/Kabir Singh, though the approach to reach that moment is different and feels realistic.
The unexpectedness usually seen in Paresh Mokashi films is experienced slightly less in Naach Ga Ghuma. For example, the moment I just mentioned and the scene in which the title is justified are beautifully warm and tender. My heart melted so quickly and easily at both these moments. I was hoping for the entire film to be like this, but the unexpectedness was witnessed in the form of mild disappointment because of the melodramatic execution. It’s hard to explain what doesn’t work or what refrains the film from feeling and looking natural. It is better to see it to understand. The songs are a great example of pushing the movie into a fairytale land, which isn’t convincing. Unfortunately, YouTube doesn’t have them as of now. Frequently, the film takes us into a world where the sense of belonging is lacking, and the world we feel we belong to isn’t seen much.
Many factors save Naach Ga Ghuma from this over-the-top treatment. Performances top it all. Mukta Barve is undoubtedly an acting masterclass, but her act in this one shows what difference a powerful performance can make to a rather regular writing. I still feel amazed, wondering about the ease with which Namrata Sambherao gets into her character effortlessly, making us believe that the parts are tailor-made for her. She is fantastic in this one, more so because of how she makes this stereotypical character believable and interesting to watch. Sarang Sathaye, Sukanya Mone, and Supriya Pathare provide the perfect support as supporting actors to the leading ladies. I got all excited seeing the co-writer Madhuganda Kulkarni act in the film.
I may happily term Naach Ga Ghuma’s writing as basic and regular, and its execution mildly unrealistic. Despite faltering a bit in these two crucial departments, the film stays engaging throughout, if not immensely interesting. A plot like this can’t escape predictability, and there is also a repetition of events. Instead of making me sigh because of this, I was pretty much looking forward to everything the narrative had to offer. As soon as I realised this, I felt like admiring Paresh Mokashi a little more for managing to retain the element of unexpectedness to the best of his ability. For example, the interval moment and many such moments throughout the film may look and feel unrealistic to quite an extent, but their skilful execution makes them very effective. Again, realising it made me feel a little more happy about the film.
Naach Ga Ghuma is a very modern urban story, and the setup is apt. Right from the residential complex of Rani to her costumes, it all adds to making the film look and feel authentic, redeeming the somewhat other underwhelming aspects. I may have laughed happily at the humour even though I would have liked a different approach for those moments. My praise for the film largely stayed unaffected by the little criticism I had to make. For example, when Rani is overly concerned with the maid problems of her customer at the bank where she works, it looks a bit too frivolous. The songs were a big letdown for me. I didn’t enjoy a single composition, and adding the ‘Naach Ga Ghuma’ tune at every possible opportunity in the songs makes the approach towards the film also look lighter than one could process the unseriousness of it.
Naach Ga Ghuma remains a fun and light-hearted affair. I thought I would incessantly hum the title track tune after the film. Since that bothered me while watching the movie, I exited with a smile and silence. I still remember moments from Paresh Mokashi’s previous films at various stages in my life as I related to them so strongly. I don’t think Naach Ga Ghuma gave me such a memory with a specific moment. The filmmaker loosened himself a bit while making the film, which probably I wasn’t ready for. Nonetheless, I had a good time at the movies watching this one. Mukta Barve, Namrata Sambherao and the Paresh Mokashi-Madhugandha Kulkarni duo make it a worthy affair. I guess, in the end, that’s what matters the most.
meri maaa, CINEMAAA 