Mod Review

What is it all about?

The official remake of the Taiwanese film 'Chen Shui De Qing Chun' - 'Keeping Watch' (English Title), 'Mod' is lazy but sweet love story, soaked in the beautiful posters of hill station Ganga, the movie continuously flatters with its cinematography and poetic settings but not so alluring in its screenplay, anyhow it does manages to respect and keep alive the sacred dimensions of love and commitment.

Nagesh Kukunoor who gave us the highly inspiring 'Iqbal' and the beautiful 'Dor' shows signs of his previous brilliance in parts but he is marred by his own writing which looses steam in the second half after a prolific start. But 'Mod' is still recommended if you have the time and patience for such cinema.

Nagesh journey from 'Hyderabad Blues' to 'Mod' certainly proves one point that he is a story teller with finesse given a tighter screenplay Nagesh can make the sensible and the commercial viewers hug themselves providing an attractive mainstream option not shrewd as the regulars but enough to help the producers look at the B.O. with a smile.

Hoping it comes out in his next endeavor.

The Story

Innovative concept, 'Mod' is a simple love story which attempts to go beyond and succeeds in parts. It's a story of Aranya (Ayesha Takia Azmi) who lives in postcard locations of hill station, Ganga. One day, a stranger, Andy (Rannvijay), lands up at her watch repair store to have his watch fixed. He is painfully shy, but keeps returning day after day to have his water-logged watch repaired. As payment, he leaves a 100 rupee note in the form of a swan. Aranya slowly warms up to this quirky stranger and through a series of meetings, they fall in love. But who is Andy? And what is his past?

What to look out for?

Nagesh narration is poetic in the first half. Delightful people living in a charming world asking you to be a part making the viewers engaged without any frills. The conventional mood and mode though its different from the world we live in and not at all practical, Nagesh manages to involve the believers in love for this particular moments. Chirantas Das cinematography is the hidden best performer and from those which are visible, Ayesha Takia is sweet and charming, Rannvijay makes a good effort Raghubir Yadav is excellent, Tanvi Azmi shows her flair, Anant Mahadevan is good. Rushad Rana and Nikhil Ratnaparkhi do a fine job. Prateeksha Lonkar impresses in a cameo.

What not?

The revelation of Rannvijay's character and its handling is amateurish, the second half almost goes for a toss due to lack of dimensions, intensity and layers in establishing the relationship between Rannvijay and his personality. The maker seems to be running out of options to unwind this beautiful story and that's the major flaw.

Conclusion: Despite its flaws, slow pace, 'Mod' is still an outing with your loved one if you have all the patience and are game for conventional love story in a poetic setting.

Rating ***