"Mumbai Diaries" is a very, very unusual Indian film. For those familiar with Bollywood films, you might expect a lot different movie than you get. There are no song and dance numbers. There are no film clichés or formulas. And, there is no real resolution to the characters and their problems. This is NOT a complaint--I liked the film--but I just want you to understand that "Omkara" is not what you are probably expecting.

The film, not surprisingly, is set in Mumbai (Bombay). The story is about four people who are, in their own way, alienated. One is an artist who is afraid of commitment, another is a slightly out of touch American of Indian descent, another is a very poor man and the final one is a woman on videotapes--and you never actually get to see her live in the film. I could say a lot more about it, but frankly it's best to just watch the film and see it unfold. Because of excellent acting, the vague script manages to satisfy. Well worth seeing.

Since having been shown the classic sports movie Lagaan in 2006,the main thing that I've always heard when friends have been discussing Bollywood movies,is how different the films lead actor (Aamir Khan) is from other "mainstream" Bollywood actors,due to him having taken a very "method" approach for a number of his most well known roles.Recently deciding to cheek his IMDb page to see if he had any upcoming projects,I was shocked to discover that Khan had done a 2010 film with his wife which seemed to have been completely over looked in the UK.After having read a few interesting bits about this oddly over looked movie,I decided the it was the perfect time to take a look at Kiran Rao and Aamir Khan's snapshots of Mumbai.

The plot:

Arriving in Mumbai to follow her passion for photography,banker/turned amateur photograph Shia goes to visit a newly opened art gallery.Impressed by the art works on display,Shia gets a happy surprise,when she bumps into the struggling artist (Arun) who has created the beautiful works.Being taken by each others good looks and charms,Shia and Arun leave the event so that they can spent the rest of the night alone together.Inital acting in a flirty manner,Shia's hopes of a relationship developing with Arun are left in ruins,when Arun "politely" decides to ask Shia if she is OK with their romance being "A one night thing!".Slamming the door behind her,Arun soon has his washing delivered from a man called Munna. (who also gets the chance later, to cross paths with Shia.)Wanting to go deeper into the art world,Arun moves into a much more classy,upmarket flat.Unpacking the handful of belongings that he has taken,Arun discovers a hand made bag hidden in a corner of the flat,filled with a number of home video tapes filmed by the previous resident of the flat.

View on the film:

Showing a strongly individual directing style for her debut film,writer/director Kiran Rao shoots the movie in a half docu- drama/half "indie" lo-fi fuzz style,with the scenes featuring the four interconnected characters mostly focusing on their attempts to slowly move "up a level" and reach their long-distance goals.For the "docu- drama" moments of this interesting movie,Rao shows an impressive attention to detail,as the Mumbai skyline is shown in a gloriously over exposed light,and the great on-location out door scenes taking place around the real activates of the residents in the city.Whilst Rao's dialogue rings with a wonderful frankness,where the discussion on love and sex from Shia (played charmingly by debut actress Monica Dogra) and Arun, (played by a quiet and focused Aamir Khan) impressively stays away from feeling sweet and "loved-up",to instead being much more realistically open and genuine.Although the dialogue allows for a good out line to be created for the characters,Rao seems to be overwhelmed by the size of Mumbai,with all of the characters feeling a bit of a distance from being fully formed,as Rao struggles to do a deep,intimate portrait of the characters,as the huge city casts its shadow over the proceedings.

Dhobi Ghat finally makes its theatrical run in India and the rest of the world, having travelled through the film circuit the last few months after its Toronto International Film Festival premiere. Written and directed by Kiran Rao, the wife of Bollywood's Aamir Khan, Dhobi Ghat is quite unlike the typical masala film, without the signature song and dance sequences, and having a runtime that's more "conventional", although no less epic in its storytelling, involving a handful of strong characters and the relationship links that they share in a snapshot of their lives in the city of Mumbai.

Singapore too had her very own "Dhoby Ghaut" many, many decades ago in the area sharing the same namesake where malls and a train station now stand. With what can be seen from this film in its capture of the Dhobi area, perhaps that was how ours could have looked like back then, with the colours stemming from various fabrics laid out to wash and dry, and the hardworking, sun-kissed men who are constantly hard at work with that sense of professionalism and pride in their jobs, where mistakes are taken back and then corrected without a qualm.

Kiran Rao's film tackles different narrative threads with characters who intertwine in one another's lives. After an introductory scene in a cab which cements this as quite the unconventional fare from the usual Hindi masala films, the first star that comes on screen is Aamir Khan, who after two blockbusters Ghajini and 3 Idiots have toned it down tremendously, playing Arun the painter, a recluse of sorts seeking out new accommodation to move into. Here his story dwells on drawing inspiration from his surroundings, and the bulk of his narrative deals with his viewing of some video tapes left behind by the previous tenant of his new abode.

The second track is of course that of Yasmin (Kriti Malhotra) the previous tenant, whose story is told on a different timeline and scale, unravelling itself through Arun's viewing of collective segments in her videos, meant to be sent to her brother to tell of her new married life in Mumbai. Like the other stories in Dhobi Ghat, this segment also takes on the responsibility of showcasing the lesser seen parts of the big city without succumbing to touristy feel good shots , and in some ways one of the most harrowing of the tales, where little is seen or said since most of it involves Yasmin speaking to camera, but much can be drawn upon.

And of course the glue to keep almost everything together is Munna (Prateik Babbar),the dhobi who plies his trade amongst the well to do, or the lazy bums as I term it, in outsourcing their laundry chores. Munna serves as the glue between the tales involving Arun, and that of Shai (Monica Dogra),a non resident Indian whose profession is by way of an investment banking consultant type, in Mumbai for her sabbatical and dabbling in her photography hobby. Needless to say a romantic triangle gets played out between the trio, one that's hesitant and none too forthcoming, plagued by issues of compatibility.

Which brings us to the none too subtle takes on the class divide, since the subplot deals with the potential budding romantic angle between Munna and Shai. I may have missed or misinterpreted this, but I suppose there's some significance in serving a drink in either a mug or a class. Then there's the stark contrast between the haves and the have nots, with one seeking out the other for recreational drugs, and the constant ribbing on Munna by peers that Shai is never compatible because of his lower social standing. But as Kiran Rao paints it, it's always a possibility for something beautiful to happen, if one can put aside having to look through baseless prejudice. The characters are obviously aware of this stumbling block, and this struggle is part of what makes this film hopeful.

Blessed with a wonderful cast with that star in Aamir Khan (so strong is his presence that a smoking warning has to come up before the movie begin to warn of its hazards - his character is rarely without a cigarette),it is in fact Prateik Babbar who steals everyone's thunder as the charming Munna, a simple man living in simple conditions but possessing a great heart and a giant dream. I'm sure like most wannabes in Mumbai, he too seeks an opportunity to try and break into the film industry, having Shai assist him by building up a portfolio. In what I think will be real life mimicking the one on reel, Prateik has the charisma to take on leading man roles, and I wonder if his career, obviously boosted by his heartfelt performance in Dhobi Ghat, will take off in more mainstream fares, or go through the more art house, independent route.

Kiran Rao pays tribute to the city of Mumbai and its inhabitants, and for someone who hasn't been to the city yet, one can catch a glimpse of every day life apart from the glamorous parts already seen in many other films, for something real and down to earth, helped by beautiful cinematography that captures the look, feel and mood of characters and the environment. It challenges the conventions and preconceived notions of what and how a Hindi film should be. It's a brilliant film by debutant standards, and it will be of interest to see how both Kiran Rao and Prateik Babbar's careers move on from here. Recommended!