DVD Review: Mithya 
By Faridoon Shahryar, February 26, 2008 - 13:53 IST
To be or not to be
That’s the question
Whether it is nobler in the mind
To suffer the slings and arrows
Of outrageous fortune
Or by taking arms against a
Sea of troubles
And by opposing
End them…
The Shakespearean dilemma is like an incorrigible marsh that assiduously persists with humanity. Life poses two roads at many an occasion and at
times; it doesn’t even allow us to make our own decisions. When nothing goes according to the plan, living may become an illusion or a
Mithya. Rajat Kapoor’s flawless masterpiece, Mithya, is busy earning accolades from critics and a certain section of multiplex audience.
While it’s still running in the theatres, the DVD of this gripping thriller has just been released by V One Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. and marketed in USA
and Canada by Rainbow Films USA Ltd.
Special Features
- Subtitles in English
DVD promos of The Train, Just Married, Bhagam Bhag and Ek Chalis Ki Last Local
- Music Video of Zara Zara where svelte Neha Dhupia showcases her groovy moves to the beats of an average number.
Packaging the DVD of any film these days has become an art in itself. The film’s making, star interviews, director’s viewpoint and the germination of
idea for the film (The fact that Mithya was conceived ten years ago with Naseeruddin Shah in the main lead would have been an interesting
piece of information. Saif Ali Khan and Arshad Warsi turned down the main lead. Such vignettes would have made the audience look at the film in
another light itself) would have given an added incentive to the viewer.
Technical Details
- 16:9 Anamorphic Widescreen format
- 5.1 Dolby Digital
Reasons why Mithya DVD is a must buy
The range of dexterous emotions-n-expressions exhibited by Ranvir Shorey is like a Tsunami of talent that drowns you from the first frame itself and
is the biggest highlight of the film. He plays VK, a struggler in the film industry hoping to make a mark in spite of the many uneven odds. The stark
uneasiness of his struggle portrays the behind-the-glamorous-sets petty existence of innumerable junior artistes who are often at the receiving end
of ill-tempered frustrated directors. Ironically, VK is the look-alike of underworld don Raje Bhai.
The rival gang of Gawde (Naseeruddin Shah) bumps off Raje and duplicates VK in his place. Gorgeous starlet Sonam (Neha Dhupia) is Gawde’s
mistress who falls for VK’s confused simplicity and guides him through the black hole of uncertainty. Memory loss, basic goodness, genuine love for
Raje’s wife-n-kids as if they were his own and earning the wrath of the insensitive world by doing supposed acts of ‘correctness’ twists the
perspective of VK’s life.
Rafey Mahmood’s brilliant cinematography, Suresh Pai’s tight editing (the film’s less than two hour duration is a big plus) and succinct writing of
Saurabh Shukla-Rajat Kapoor raise the technical standards by several notches. Of course, Kapoor’s direction stays true to the context of the film
and not even once, does he compromise on the basic vision. He employs dark humour, tugs at the heart strings by portraying real situations in a
miraculous matter-of-fact manner and in spite of having the overused underworld backdrop he brings a nascent freshness in the way the plot
unfolds.
Ranvir Shorey’s brilliance is matched by Neha Dhupia’s superbly restrained performance. Naseeruddin Shah sparkles as expected, while Vinay
Pathak and Saurabh Shukla leave a solid impact.
Final Verdict
Mithya is a film that entertains yet stuns with its hard-hitting brutally ruthless content. It is one of the best films to have emerged out of
Bollywood in the recent times. Despite being a small film, the lack of big stars doesn’t undermine its value. You may have heard it before but script is
the real Hero in this edge-of-the-seat pacy flick. A good addition to your DVD collection!
DVD available on V One Entertainment
Rating: ***1/2
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