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This 'Barfi' is sweetest of all


After a long time comes a movie that makes you laugh and cry at the same time. One cannot stay unmoved by the love and spirit of two people who suffer from hearing and speech impairment and autism. But it doesn't come in the way of identifying their individuality and their likes and dislikes. Neither does it prevent us from empathizing with their feelings.


The story begins with an ailing Barfi (Ranbir Kapoor) and a bunch of people sharing their memories of him and reminiscing about the past. We are introduced to the prankster who knew no boundaries when it came to creating trouble. The local policeman (Saurabh Shukla) was one of the main targets of all the pranks whenever he went chasing him. Barfi was too smart to be caught for any of his crimes. Things change when Barfi gets involved in a kidnapping and a bank robbery. The story of Jhilmil (Priyanka Chopra), who was kidnapped by Barfi, then unfolds. Barfi and Jhilmil go through a lot of ups and downs. The initial mistrust is taken over by friendship and somewhere on the way, love creeps in. And they live happily ever after...


That's the story of Barfi, in short. But there is a lot more to it, which cannot be captured in words because Barfi didn't speak any and Jhilmil spoke only a few.


After a super-stressful week, 'Barfi' is the visual treat that I needed to get back on the track. I think this is one of the best movies I have come across. The expectations were very high, specially from Ranbir Kapoor. Knowing the actor that he has evolved into, I knew he must have done a great job but I was not that sure about Priyanka Chopra. But she is amazing as Jhilmil. The best that I can say about her is that somewhere in between the movie I forgot that she is Priyanka Chopra, the 'desi girl'. She remained Jhilmil, the girl who gazed wide-eyed at fireflies trapped in soap bubbles as if it was something magical. 

The music of 'Barfi' contributes a lot to its sweetness. It's difficult to choose a favorite from this album, however, 'Phir le aaya dil' appealed the most to the romantic in me. 'Ala Barfi' and 'Aashiyan' are the two songs that will make you smile on the days when you are feeling low. 

The highlight of 'Barfi' is Ranbir Kapoor. The towel that he dropped years ago was the first bit of cocoon that he had shed. From the unmentionable 'Saawariya' to 'Wake Up Sid', 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani', 'Rocket Singh' and 'Rockstar'. Somehow I had a bad feeling about 'Anjaana Anjaani' and thankfully I chose not to see it. Even 'Rockstar' without Ranbir Kapoor (and Mohit Chauhan) would have been a bigger disaster. This is one actor we have seen improve with every single performance. If Ranbir Kapoor ever gives a better performance than that in 'Barfi', I cannot fathom what it would be. 

The two people I want to see with trophies at the end of this year are Ranbir Kapoor and Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Gangs of Waaseypur). And I am saying this even though the most awaited film of the year is yet to release.

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