Times may have changed drastically. We are now in the era of multiplex films where new and novel themes are played out everyday to an audience which is showing a liking for novel fare. But there is one production house that refuses to change and shed its image. We are talking of the Rajshree's, whose films are still rooted in traditional Indian values about family, arranged marriages, sacrifices etc. Their latest offering Ek Vivaah... Aisa Bhi comes from the same school of thought. The film's story has been ripped from another Rajshree classic, Tapasya, made many decades ago with Raakhee and Parikshit Sahni.
However, the story written by Ashapurna Devi is still powerful enough to move one with its sincerity. Sincerity is the word that one would associate with the Barjatiyas. They actually believe in their films and that honesty reflects in their movies, whether you agree with their philosophy or not. But looking at Indian society at large, the film's story still strikes a chord somewhere.
The lead actors, Sonu Sood and Isha Koppikar do a good job but if one compares them to the seasoned Raakhee and the under rated Sahni, one finds that they lack the dignity which those two actors brought to their roles in Tapasya.
However, the story, simple as it is, even in the retelling, is what carries the film through. The other thing about most Rajshree films is that they are able to portray and depict Indian emotions very well. Their films generally work because of their understanding about the Indian psyche. But leaving that aside, this Ek Vivaah... has its moments despite a very sluggish narrative, an overdose of cliches and a very predictable plot. The problem with the film is that it lacks the magic touch of Sooraj Barjatiya and never rises to being anything more than mildly pleasant. Despite the validity of some of the issues that the film brings up, it lacks the dynamism to treat them in a fresh manner, taking recourse only to clichés instead. Its treatment could have been better.
The film's story is about Chandni (Isha Koppikar), a middleclass girl who lives in Bhopal with her father and two siblings. Chandni is a trained singer and during one of her performances she meets and falls in love with Prem (Sonu Sood), who belongs to a rich family. All seems fine till one day Chandni's father (Alok Nath) pops it. The responsibility to take care and bring up her siblings suddenly falls on Chandni. She takes a decision to put aside her dreams for the time being and take care of her siblings. Prem is an understanding fiancée and he agrees to wait for her. He ends up waiting 12 long years while she fulfills her duty.
Debutant director Kaushik Ghatak keeps his faith with the original Tapasya and generally stays true to the original. But one would have loved to see a fresher approach to the film. Like with their rest of the film, the dialogues too lack originality and follow a predictable pattern. The first half of the film is lighter in tone but the second half is full of high emotion, some of which works. The film's music, however, is a major letdown, considering that both the protagonists in the film are supposed to be singers. Ravindra Jain fails to deliver and the film lacks even one number which has any recall value.
Isha and Sonu play their parts very well, with full sincerity and a certain amount of restrain, which is praiseworthy. It would be pointless to compare Isha with Raakhee, the queen of histrionics. Sufficient to say, that she does a competent job. As for the rest of the cast, Alok Nath plays the usual loving father with boring perfection. Vallabh Vyas is good as well.
The film has no surprises in store. It is a predictable story, told in a predictable manner. Its redeeming feature is its sincerity and its emotional quotient which should go down better with single theatre audiences.
