Mausam - Mammoth disappointment

As per the makers, 'Mausam' tries to bring in an old world charm into the proceedings. Just to jog audience's memory though, even Raj Kanwar directed 'Sadiyaan' [Ever heard of that? It was Luv Sinha's debut vehicle] had attempted that some time back and the results were miserable. Well, 'Mausam' isn't any better and that by itself is a terrible piece of news.

Frankly, this is one film for no season whatsoever. It turns out to be such a pointless experience that you start wondering even before the interval card flashes that whether there would be any respite whatsoever. The movie meanders aimlessly, moves from one country to another, adds on to boredom with every passing chapter and eventually reaches a climax which, by the way, doesn't even make an announcement around its arrival. Sad, in fact utterly shocking, because despite low expectations, this isn't the deal that one was looking for from 'Mausam'.

Shahid, a naughty young man from a small town in Punjab, is waiting for his appointment in IAF. He sees Sonam Kapoor, a Kashmiri refugee, and it is 'pehli nazar mein pyaar'. Unspoken love brings them together but the world around them tears them apart. Their journey of hide and seek stretches for a decade and even as other riots and global attacks threaten to distance them forever, eventually they end up being united.

Now all of this could still have been tolerable had the episodes being woven with some interesting moments. What one gets to see is one boring scene after another that just dilutes whatever little impact that could have been made. In fact the most drastic of them all, and something that happens within the first half of the film itself, are the series of events that unfold on Scotland. As one understands by this time that it is going to be an exercise in futility, what happens from this point can't be comprehended at all.

Now that's a disappointment because the film actually started off nicely. No, it didn't quite give one a feel of an epic in the making but still a few light hearted scenes, all involving Shahid, were presented well. In fact the actor too comes across as a mixed bag. While he is totally convincing and quite endearing as a villager, his stiff persona once he becomes an IAF officer makes one believe that he has done much better in films like 'Kaminey', 'Jab We Met' or for that matter, even 'Kismat Konnection'. No, he doesn't act badly but given the parameters in which he has to perform, the outcome isn't satisfying. Ditto for Sonam who is again trapped in a 'Saawariya' kind of subtle situation and makes one miss the glamour that has come to be associated with her of late.

What takes the cake, a bitter one at that though, is the climax. Shahid saves Sonam in the riots. Then he saves a white horse. Then he saves a child. All when one of his arms is not functioning. So far, so okay. Chalta hai, Hindi picture hai. But then in the morning after, Shahid and Sonam reflect on their past. 'Kucch tumne khoya, kucch maine' - are the golden words mouthed. And lo, the two unite, not leaving the child behind who is now homeless. This isn't all because there is another fourth character that joins the family. It's the white horse!