Saturday 31 January 2015

Darr (1993)

[**1/2 stars / *****] 


Kiran (Juhi Chawla) studies in Shimla (Switzerland, undisguised). She is happily engaged to daredevil navy officer Sunil (Sunny Deol). 

But there is another secret suitor, her college mate Rahul (Yes, Shah Rukh Khan), a shy, awkward one who sings an anonymous song for her, guitar to boot. 

The shy guy doesn't show himself. Instead he chooses to terrorize Kiran, stammering (Kkkkkk...Kiran) on the phone, shadowing her and then in murderous shyness, attempts to kill Sunil.   

Unconventional concept 
Yash Chopra's Darr is a rare Hindi commercial movie with a stalker shown in negative light (well, kind of).

The makers of Darr do glorify the stalker's madness as a kind of feverish love. 

Hindi film heroes have stalked, teased and molested heroines no end onscreen, having the girls inexplicably fall for them, right up to the 'The Beginning' end credits. 

Shah Rukh Khan dazzles
Darr's trump card is Shah Rukh Khan's unconventional take on the Hindi film villain. 

The mannerisms that became repeated over several films and are now perennial mimic artist source material, were very effective in Darr

Darr review 
Despite the problematic depiction, Darr is a decent take on possessive love. 

The high point is when the three protagonists come together for a gentle conversation before the truth pops out. 

Songs, though beautiful, affect flow and mitigate all sense of dread. 

For once, even if in patches, story does take over starry airs. In ego-infested star-insecure Hindi film territory, that itself is a monumental achievement.        

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