'Cinema is a passion', has been said by many who spent their whole life working in front or around the 35 mm camera. But cinema also causes addiction. In the course, many have left their original jobs and turned filmmakers. This lot includes people from many walks of the life. Then how can those be behind who have grown watching and criticizing cinema as part of their job. Khalid Mohammed is also one among them. The only difference between him and other film critics is that he dared and more importantly got the chance to fulfill his dream of becoming a film director. The ex-editor of film magazine Filmfare made his debut as a film director three years ago when he made 'Fiza' with Hrithik Roshan and Karisma Kapoor. Hrithik was on the apex of popularity that time but Khalid could not hit bull's eye that time.
Now, Khalid is back with a low profile film 'Tehzeeb' (Etiquettes). The film has not been much talked about in the media. It has its inspiration from English flick 'Autumn Sonata' and has Shabana Azmi as its leading lady. Khalid Mohammed wrote films like 'Mammo' and others before taking on to direction in 'Fiza'. His obsession with female characters continues in 'Tehzeeb' too. However, this time it is not in autobiographical form; rather Khalid has tried his hands this time on thriller. 'Tehzeeb' is an emotional thriller. It has string portrayal of characters, good team of supporting actors and actresses, good music by A R Rehman and also at least two ghazals of those days when Urdu poetry was at its peak in India.
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Urmila Matondkar plays 'Tehzeeb'. She is daughter of Rukhsana (Shabana Azmi), a very successful singer who never compromised for her career, neither at home nor at work. She is a strong woman who is working not for obligations but work is her passion. With fame, Rukhsana has also attracted gossips around her, and when her husband (Rishi Kapoor) dies a sudden death, many around her see her hand in this untimely death. She is also tried in court but is freed, as there are no charges to be proved against her. 'Tehzeeb' cannot forget all this. She has many memories of her childhood. Having grown up with these things, she finds solace with her mentally challenged sister Nazneen. She lives at a hill station away from the glitterati of her mother and has married to a novel writer (Arjun Rampal).
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Rukhsana is still popular and one day she decides to spend few days with her daughters. Everything is fine in the beginning. But with the passing of time the closets of old days start opening and soon 'Tehzeeb' and 'Rukhsana' find draggers drawn against each other. More and more characters get involved in their life. There is this sensuous lady from abroad who is trying her every bit to steal 'Tehzeeb's husband. A rival playback singer wants to take lead from Rukhsana. A lecherous producer is playing some strange game and then there is a journalist too who wants to reopen the long forgotten murder case of Rukhsana's husband.
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As a writer Khalid Mohammed has come up with a story, which is novel. Its characters are not stereotype. Khalid has evolved a different style of narration all along. It was quite visible in his last film 'Fiza' and in 'Tehzeeb' too he tries to do away with the set formula of Bollywood films. But like in 'Fiza', here too he has not been able to sustain pressures from distributors. So, you see Urmila trying to bring oomph on the screen in Mehrbaan Mehrbaan number. In his attempt to add sensuousness to his female characters he tries to imbibe such things that are not required to establish his characters.
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Once again Khalid looks like a confused storyteller. As a director, Khalid has once again heavily relied on his cinematographer Santosh Sivan. Santosh has his set parameters of cinematography. He gives more importance to colors and light to catch the emotions of the characters. It is not that he has failed in his attempt but it would have been more appropriate if Santosh had inserted more close shots of dance around with mid shots and long shots. A. Sreekar Prasad too forgot to use his scissors at his own discretion. The whole film has a definite Khalid stamp in every department except music. The film has a soothing feel in its music. Many could not have been able to understand the meanings of ghazals written by Momin and Daagh Dehlvi but Javed Akhtar has tried his best to bridge the gap in his four lyrics.
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The film though originally is sold as Urmila Matondkar film; it is Shabana Azmi who draws the most attention. She has been for thirty years or so here in Bollywood, but still her aura is unmatched. She has carried away the role of a singer with ease and finesse. If she was brilliant in 'Saaz', here in 'Tehzeeb' she is marvelous. Urmila is only second to her. After not getting much applaud for her portray of Paro in Chandra Prakash Dwivedi's 'Pinjar', once again her efforts go fruitless if this film too fails to work at box office. As an actress Urmila is still not matured enough; emotions take time to come on her face at the desired time. Diya Mirza seems to have accepted the face that she is no longer required in solo films in Bollywood. Arjun Rampal also falls short in acting. He is tall, suave and handsome but only this cannot make him a mainstream hero in Bollywood. 'Tehzeeb' has a good supporting cast in Satish Kaushik. Rekha Rao and Namrata Shirodkar have helped 'Tehzeeb' to maintain its pace all along, and its Diana Hayden surprises with her presence in such a short role. Her debut in Bollywood should have been more explosive. On the whole, 'Tehzeeb' will find its audience only in metros; distributors and exhibitors in small town will have to face tough time to earn their money back.
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