Dhobi Ghat

Every year literally hundreds of thousands throng to the city of dreams, Mumbai. To cover so many dreams in a small span of an-hour-and-a-half calls for some brilliant filmmaking. And watching "Dhobi Ghat" will make you realise that there indeed have been very few debuts as stunning as this one.

"Dhobi Ghat" is the story of five characters - Yasmin (Kirti Malhotra), Arun (Aamir Khan), Shai (Monica Dogra), Munna (Prateik Babbar) and the city of Mumbai. After a one night stand with Arun, who is a painter, Shai, an investment banker from America and an amateur photographer, obsesses over him, while her dhobi Munna pines for Shai.

Arun, meanwhile, discovers a few tapes in his flat from the previous tenant and, watching them, falls in love and find a muse in the woman who has made them - Yasmin.

Each of the character is thus looking for something in one another, while the fifth character, Mumbai, simply stares blankly at them without comment or prejudice.

One of the best things about the film is its casting. Each of the actors complement the film, its director, and the city of Mumbai perfectly.

Each is believable in his or her own garb. Prateik is bound to become the heartthrob of the generation, while Kirti Malhotra's innocence has to be seen to be believed.

Real life singer Monica brings out the uncertainty of her character beautifully.

The only one who is a little out of place, and hence the small sore point of the film is actor Aamir Khan. He begins shakily and is self conscious, unable as he is perhaps of shaking away two decades of Bollywood's acting baggage. By the end of it though, he manages to get into the film's rhythm and gives a believable performance.

It is hence not Kiran Rao's luck that she got superstar husband Aamir to act in the film, but Aamir's luck that he is in this film, which will go down in the history of cinema as one of the best character sketches of a city and its people.

Very few people in the world have sketched any city with such tender love, care and affection. And to add to the lilting melody that is Mumbai in the film is composer Gustavo Santaolalla who gives a haunting background score.

Director Kiran Rao brilliantly manages to find a physical representation of Mumbai city, in the old woman who blankly stares at all the characters, but says nothing. The metaphor is simple but powerful - Mumbai is a dying, decaying city, but one that is definitely alive and watches over all.

And like the character of Arun who becomes a voyeur into the life of Yasmin, it is Kiran Rao that has played voyeur on the city of Mumbai.

Another good thing about the film is that nowhere does it slacken or lose pace.

On the contrary, it unfolds almost like a mystery, like a rose bud, only to scintillate the senses in full bloom. It thus might become the low budget indie Indian film that will finally make money like big-budget Bollywood fare.

In the end though, that wouldn't matter much to the audience who will find themselves somewhere in the film. Each one of the characters in the film is like Mumbai, and Mumbai is like each one of us who inhabit it.

Special screening of Dhobi Ghat for Dhobis

MUMBAI: Aamir Khan held a special screening of the film 'Dhobi Ghat' for the people, whose lives are the core of the film. 55 dhobis including the President and Vice President of Dhobi association watched the film at the Ketnav preview theatre last weekend.

Says a source close to Aamir, "The dhobi association was very helpful during the shoot of the film. Pratik, who plays a dhobi in the film, was made to interact with dhobis to understand his character well.

During the shoot, some dhobis had requested Kiran to show them the film and Aamir fulfilled their wish. Aamir was present at the screening and he met each one of them and had lunch with them."

Kiran Rao's 'Dhobi Ghat' Is All Set To Create Magic

Kiran Rao, wife of Aamir Khan is the centre of all the attention for her debut film Dhobi Ghat (Mumbai Diaries).The film Dhobi Ghat deals with the story of four youngsters who hail from different backgrounds and when they form relationships, the essence of the city is brought out through the characters. It is a story about love and also speculates on loss and loneliness. The lives of the youngsters get changed forever when they get into a relationship.

Kiran has added that through her film, she has tried to give us a real picture of the City of Dreams-Mumbai. Kiran has added that she has tried her best to make the film look real through Dhobi Ghat, Kiran also has tried to show all the aspects of Mumbai. The story of the film is fresh and has never been depicted before on-screen. Kiran remarked that though initially, she did not want her husband Aamir to play a role in the film, eventually she gave in when she did not find anyone suitable for the role of Arun. Kiran wanted a fresh actor to play the part, so that the film looks real. However, when Aamir was auditioned Kiran finally zeroed him.

The music of the film has been scored by Gustavo Santaolalla who is a Golden Globe and Academy Award winner. Kiran is a huge fan of him and wanted him to work on her project. Finally, with Aamir's intervention, he was brought on board.

Aamir is all praises for Kiran after reading the script of the film and has added that she is very talented as an actor and a director.

Dhobi Ghat releases on January 21, 2011 and make sure you catch it.

Dhobi Ghat paints mesmerizing portrait of Mumbai

LOS ANGELES: The city of Mumbai, still called Bombay by many of its denizens, has sat for any number of memorable literary portraits, from Vikram Chandra's "Sacred Games" and Suketu Mehta's "Maximum City" to a foreigner's view in Gregory David Roberts' "Shantaram."

But Kiran Rao's "Dhobi Ghat" (Mumbai Diaries) is easily one of the most dynamic cinematic portraits of that decaying, vibrant, impossible city. The film is all the more remarkable since it's a first feature by Rao, who has worked in the Hindi film industry but never written or directed a film before.

OK, so she has an advantage being married to Aamir Khan, one of Bollywood's biggest stars, who is her star and co-producer here. (American audiences may remember him from the Oscar-nominated "Lagaan," which he starred in and produced.) But "Dhobi Ghat" is no vanity project; rather, it is a fully realized art film with European sensibilities that intertwines the stories of four characters from different worlds but the same lonely, overcrowded city.

The film opens January 21 simultaneously in L.A., New York and Indian cities where Khan's name should attract many sophisticated cineastes.

The story begins with an unknown woman pointing her video camera out of a taxi into a gray city pelted with rain. She narrates what she sees, then strikes up a conversation with the taxi wallah only to discover they both come from the mostly impoverished state of Uttar Pradesh. They are thus typical of so many of Mumbai/Bombay's teaming masses, poor folks fled to the country's financial and spiritual capital in hopes of a better life.

It is a while before you learn more about this videographer. Instead, the movie takes up a one-night stand and its aftermath between a talented but emotionally remote Hindu artist Arun (Khan) and an affluent American-born Indian investment banker, Shai (musician Monica Dogra), on sabbatical to pursue her passion, which is photography.

Their morning after ends on a bad note, so the two part company with Arun, assuming he'll never see the woman again. But Shai is left with a disquieting sense of unfinished business between them.

Her next encounter is with a dhobi wallah, or clothes washer, Munna (Prateik), who messes up a stained blouse. When this is resolved, Munna, a poor boy from the slums with dreams of Bollywood stardom, spots her many cameras and asks if she would shoot the portfolio he'll need as an actor.

Thus begins an unlikely friendship where the extremely handsome young man shows the newcomer around his city, which she now sees through the dual filters of his eyes and her lenses. Naturally, he falls for her, but she seems blithely unaware not only of the effect she has on him but the inappropriate nature of their relationship in Indian society. (You can certainly see this, however, in the eyes of her maid, one of the film's many small but significant touches.)

Having to uproot many times due to Mumbai's short-term tenancy laws, Arun moves into a crumbling flat in the city's Muslim quarter. There he discovers a video diary left by a previous tenant. Yes, you guessed it: This is the diary of the videographer at the film's beginning, a young Muslim bride, Yasmin (Kriti Malhotra), newly relocated to the city.

Arun is mesmerized by the videos and launches a series of paintings based on what he sees in them. As he watches, the naive but cheerful bride turns into an unhappy, betrayed woman, whose terrible secret he now learns.

In the intersection of these four people and one city, Rao locates a host of dreams, desires, fears and tragedies. Her stories touch on art, photography, poverty, crime and Mumbai's indelible sense of mystery. In a city where everything is perishable, subject to constant change, four people struggle to send down roots, to discover a sense of belonging. It's almost a quixotic ambition, but then so is a dhobi dreaming of movie stardom.

Through Arun's paintings, Shai's black-and-white photos and Yasmin's video diary, the movie draws you into the mystery and melancholy that is Mumbai. Each of its characters is vividly sketched yet they are only sketches: You don't fully grasp any of them. Their lives and personalities remain partially hidden.

So it is with Mumbai itself. Its secrets hide in shadows while the drama of its boisterous street life and torrential rains forever distract citizens and visitors alike. Mumbai is a formidable force in the lives of all these characters, holding out hopes and fantasies but willing to dash them in a twinkling.

Khan sensibly underplays his role, which not only befits a reclusive artist but also allows his non-celebrity fellow cast members to shine. The two female stars, each in her movie debut, are outstanding, delivering nuanced performances that subtly situate each in terms of class, background and worldview. Prateik is a star in the making. His chiseled looks and charismatic personality nicely convey the dilemma of a shy, poorly educated, acutely self-conscious slum boy overwhelmed by the friendship of a worldly beauty.

Cinematographer Tushar Kanti Ray uses multiple formats ranging from super-16mm to mini DV cam to penetrate, however briefly, Mumbai's shadows. The gaze is hopeful but realistic -- the city is always changing even as some things never change. Oscar-winning Argentine composer Gustavo Santaolalla's guitar-heavy score is non-Indian yet a perfect fit for catching the sad-happy mood of this tumultuous city.

Never thought of changing surname: Kiran Rao

Unlike other star wives, Kiran Rao - the better half of superstar Aamir Khan - uses her maiden surname and says that the thought of changing her surname to Khan never occurred to her or to Aamir.

"I've grown with my name and have had it for so many years. I have always wondered how people change their names. I'm quite comfortable with Rao and even Aamir is, he never asked me to change my surname," Kiran told reporters here

"I don't mind calling myself Mrs. Khan but its definitely nicer to be called what I have been referred to for all these years," she added.

Kiran, who was at an event to launch a new promo of her forthcoming directorial debut "Dhobi Ghat", also revealed that she is a fan of Salman Khan and initially had wanted a special appearance by the actor in her film.

"In the film, Prateik's character is someone who wants to be an actor and is a huge fan of Salman Khan, so initially when I was writing the film, I had thought I'll ask Salman to make a guest appearance but then that part didn't fit in the film at all, so we dropped it.

"I myself like Salman a lot and this is my tribute to him. Since we have shown that Prateik's character has his (Salman's) posters in his room and wears a bracelet which is quite similar to the one Slaman wears in real life," she said.

"Dhobi Ghat", slated for a Dec 21 release, also stars Aamir and is the story of four individuals and how their lives are intertwined with each other.

'Dhobi Ghat' to be released in two versions

Aamir Khan's production venture "Dhobi Ghat", which is the directorial debut of his wife Kiran Rao, will be released in two versions - one completely in Hindi and the other with a few scenes in English.

"The film has 8-10 scenes in English. But we realized that people who are not very comfortable with the language would be in a tough spot. So we dubbed those scenes in Hindi," Aamir told reporters here.

"We will release the film in two versions. One will be completely in Hindi and the other will have the original English dialogues. People can choose the version they want to see," he said.

The 45-year-old confirmed that both the versions will be released Jan 21.

When asked the reason for two versions when he could have also gone in for subtitles, the actor-producer informed: "We didn't want to keep subtitles because a lot of people don't like reading while seeing the film and many people can't read, so dubbing was a better option."

"Dhobi Ghat" that stars Aamir along with Prateik Babbar, Monica Dogra, Kriti Malhotra, Kitu Gidwani and Nafisa Khan is a film about four characters from different classes of society and how their lives are interwined.

"I'm very happy for the film. Kiran has beautifully implemented what she intended to make. It's a very different film, an arthouse film that we haven't seen for a while.

"It's a film about moments. Kiran has shot at real locations with a small crew, so it has a real feel about it. She has brought about the vibrancy and colour of Mumbai very well," he added.

'Dhobi Ghat' more an art house film: Director Kiran Rao

Debutant director Kiran Rao describes her film 'Dhobi Ghat' as art house cinema and says audiences shouldn't perceive it as another commercially viable movie from her filmmaker husband Aamir Khan's production house.

"The film is half in English therefore you cut out a large section of the audience. It's at least 40 percent in English. Traditional audiences are mostly who understand and enjoy Hindi films and it is clearly less than half who are comfortable in English or who speak English. Also, in its filmmaking aesthetics, it's different from what people are used to watching," said Kiran.

"Language is one of the factors that will reduce my audience. 'Peepli Live' is a very plot driven film. My script is quite different, my treatment, my inspiration and a lot of the things that I wanted to do is very different," said Kiran.

"It's a very relatable film, a film with lot of emotion, but a subtle story, quiet film," she added.

The first look of the film was unveiled Wedenesday. Scheduled for a Jan 21, 2011 release, it is produced by Aamir, who also features in the movie along with Prateik Babbar and two new actresses - Kriti Malhotra and Monica Dogra. The film won critical acclaim at the Toronto and London International Film Festivals.

Kiran feels as her husband's name is associated with her directorial debut, so the expectations will be very high.

"It's really to sensitize people because everybody is looking keenly at this film with an expectation that it's another Aamir Khan blockbuster. To sensitize people that it's a certain kind of film, it's for people with certain sensibility. Not everybody would go to a film festival to watch a film or rent an Iranian film to watch. Through 'Dhobi Ghat' I took an opportunity to make different kind of cinema in India, to broaden our audience.

"But with Aamir comes the liability. It's really to tell people that in filmmaking style 'Dhobi Ghat' is more like world cinema, it's more like art house cinema. So I want people to be aware of it before they come to see it," said Kiran.

At the same time, she feels no amount of warning can help in changing the perception of moviegoers about an Aamir movie.

Asked how was it to direct Aamir, she said: "It was very exciting. We both fought and enjoyed it. It was a great experience. He's a dream actor and a dream producer so I had a wonderful time."

The trailer of the film is segregated in four parts and it is not a plot-based movie, says the director.

"We worked very hard on the trailer. It's a not heavily plot based story, it's much more slice of life film so the trailer was harder to cut. The film is about four people and how their lives intersect and how the city finds its way into their life. So Mumbai is the fifth character in it. So we kind of introduced each of them and their relationship as one meets the other.

"In one trailer, it would have been too much of information. We thought it would be intriguing and nice to watch each separately," said Kiran.

Kiran kept Aamir and the cast away from the first look of the film.

"Till now, I was known as Mrs. Aamir Khan. I wanted to introduce myself as a filmmaker, as a creative person, as a director and writer. I wanted to introduce my film myself because I wrote the film and also produced it on the ground. I also directed it, so I wanted you to know me," said Kiran.

For the international circuit, the has been tagged as "Mumbai Diaries".

'Dhobi Ghat' wins praise at TIFF

Aamir Khan's newest project Dhobi Ghat has won acclaim at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

According to IANS, TIFF co-director Cameron Bailey lauded the actor's performance in the picture.

"Dhobi Ghat has Aamir Khan in a role of an artist that you often don't see him in - he has done a terrific job," he said.

Director Kiran Rao also won praise from the festival organiser.

"I think she is part of a generation of filmmakers that we are seeing come up now in India - a new school in international cinema.

"This generation is not making films out of the Indian commercial cinema context, but making films that are referencing American independent cinema or European cinema or Asian cinema," said Bailey.

Dhobi Ghat is expected to release commercially at the end of 2010.