Item Number: February 2014

Monday, February 10, 2014

Hasee to Phasee

Hasee to Phasee starring Parineeti Chopra and Siddharth Malhotra, is Vinil Mathews directorial debut into features.

Vinil who is known to have created magic with brands like Cadbury and Airtel , was roped in by Phantom to direct the story written by Harshvardhan Kulkarni.

Nikhil (Sidharth) a struggling business man is in love with Karishma (Adah) who is an aspiring actress (yawn).

Meeta (Parineeti) is Karishma’s estranged sister who ran away from the family and is a bit delirious and addicted to various pills.

To try and weave some sort of a story around the three – Meeta returns back after 7 yrs to attend Karishma’s wedding. Karishma in turn entrusts her sisters responsibility onto Nikhil, she doesn’t want Meeta anywhere close to the family thinking it may ruin the wedding preparations, considering the circumstances under which Meeta last left.

Nikhil starts baby sitting an eccentric Meeta, who keeps oscillating between longing to get one glance of her father and at every other opportunity suggesting that he (Nikhil) should break up with the sister and marry her instead (poker faced)

Thus continues a mindless charade between wedding preparations and baby sitting the sister.

I was honestly looking forward to this movie because the promo’s promised Parineeti in a different avatar, Sidharth in a more than ‘flexing the jaw line’ kind of contribution, but alas, all I kept doing was trying to find a reason to stay cause every movie deserves that much, I feel.

Their plates did have a different menu to offer, but an inconsistency in the characters and direction, average cinematography and not thought through story line overshadowed the credit they deserved.

Amar Mangrulkar is the only saving grace in the film. Zehnaseeb and Ishq Bulaava are two of my favorites from the album.

If anyone figures out the connection between the story and the title, call me!

About Me

Ok, so I’m 5ft 9, about 139 pounds, big greenish brown eyes, long curvy lashes, a curvier body, soft curly hair and an electrifying smile. This impression exists in my head…and now in yours.

It’s not because what I look like makes me uneasy, but this is the number that I’d like to turn up in, someday.

Hence, the ‘Item Number’. A lot many maybe familiar with the term and all that it implies but for the ignorant read on…

I’ve always associated myself with the term ‘Item Number’ which however until recently was a phrase loosely used in Bollywood to describe a filler, a foreplay before the formidable act, a thesaurus for sleazy dance, an excuse for skin show (not always attractive).

All that is now the past. With cinemas growing sensibilities, the stigma attached to the phrase no longer exists and in fact, is now glorified by a list of A grade celebrities gracing the screen with their special performance, adding glam value to an otherwise submissive script.

However in spite of the recent but growing respect, the meaning of the phrase ‘Item Number’ has never changed for me. An item number is an exhibit out of the ordinary plot line, sometimes provocative yet necessary, it sometimes lends itself to the situation but other times it’s forced. It’s long enough to make you smile, but short enough leaving you longing for more. Sometimes special. Sometimes over the top. But never subtle.

I believe, if we search deep inside, we all yearn to be an item number (yes even you!)

It’s the longing to be special. To be provocative. To be able to tease ones boundaries. To be different. To be the one. To make people sit up and notice.

If only for an hour, if only for a minute or even a second.

When you hear the crowds cheer (even if it’s just in your head), respond to every appreciative/envious glare with a radiating smile from within, when you know the stars are shinning in this moment, only to make you look brighter, and you almost throw your hands up to the universe miming a big ‘Thank You’ that’s when you know you’re an Item Number.