What If?

What If?-480P

What If?-480P

Interesting film having four stories running parallel with lot of emotions and twist. Mumbai at September 2001, really nicely pictured. The stories are about: A young doctor Rahul who has got an admission into a US University, but has some personal reasons (that u can see in movie) and is in dilemma. Besides this how will he manage his expenses is a question. But he has a rich friend Khusboo(Ayesha Takia) who has more than soft corner for him. Tillotamma Das(Konkona Sen Sharma) who is married (newly wed) to a software engineer Hemant(Jimmy Shergill) settled in USA after an internet romance. Nicely pictured scenes as Hemant has to leave for USA and Tillotamma has to be in India with her in-laws(with her mother in law, father in law and sister in law, who makes her crazy except her father-in-law. She wants to be with her husband anyhow, how she does that and reaches America. A stockbroker, Salim (Irfan Khan) who has got green card and who has a very nice brother Javed. But Salim has his own personal thing (attachment with Namrata a older woman). But she do not love him as much. When this is disclosed he find him in a strange situation and thinks like cheated. He also goes to America. He tries to forget her but can't and this scene is very nicely pictured when he is America, with title song. Fourth character is Paresh Rawal, playing role of Rajabhai who takes money from people to send to America as part of dancing troupe. He met his old love Tara who asks him to send her daughter to America. Anyhow he decide to do that though he was very practical in Business, and leaves for America How and What happens is the basic concept of story and the title song "Yun Hota.." is very melodious(to me) and is nicely presented. The scene when Irfan is standing in tower and sees airplane is also good. The acting by all is very good, the newcomer who played the role of doctor has also given a very natural acting too. Well i recommend to see this movie

The movie is made up of different stories, and at the end the characters from each story are involved in the same incidence. Till that incidence, you wonder whats happening, why is it happening. There is no clue in the entire movie about what is going to happen at the end. And then at the end when you find out that the movie is actually based on one real incidence, your reaction is just WHAAATTTT? Are all these stories made just to show how people suffer in this? Its really sad even after having some good actors like Paresh Rawal, Irfan Khan, the movie failed to make an impact. You will not like to discuss it after you watch it.

I had never expected the ending! Though I was just getting the 'hints' somewhere in between. The acting by most of the guys is simply great. The movie is quite entertaining. I just felt that the movie would go on. Though Nasiruddin has not acted, his wife & son have filled the gap! I had never imagined that Suhasini Muley could play such a role. Irrfan looks cool and portrays the slightly difficult role (for him it might have been a cakewalk!) effortlessly. Paresh Rawal doesn't need much of writing because he delivers much more than what is expected of him. The most beautiful aspect of the movie is that all the newcomers act very credibly. And they have added freshness to the movie. Shergill is the likable best. On the whole, quite satisfying!

This is a movie for movie watchers who are tired of the routine hero-heroine story. 'Naseeruddin Shah's debut as a director.' I guess that's what compelled me to go watch this movie. The concept of having 4 stories woven into one is nice. He has enthusiastically woven different strands together and what you are left with is a plethora of emotions.....but sadly the end gulps all those experiences. The star cast is well thought of....but they don't get enough of screen space to prove their bit, other than Konkana Sen Sharma and Jimmy Shergill. This is probably because there are too many of them. You always want to leave the movie hall happy, but you end up leaving grim and sullen because a sensitive topic is used for the thrill.....

It's legendary Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah's first try at directing and he does a pretty good job with it. This film is different from other Bollywood ones which would be hero-heroine, hero-villain story. Here the people seen are real people. The film has four stories running simultaneously. The timing is Mumbai, September 2001. A bride, Tillotamma Das(Konkona Sen Sharma) got married to a S/W Enginner Hemant(Jimmy Shergill) settled in USA after an internet romance. Unfortunately Hemant has to leave for USA and Tillotamma has to live with her in-laws. Her sister-in-law and mother-in-law are nuts and they make her crazy. Only her father-in-law is OK. She has to go to America somehow to join her husband. A stockbroker, Salim (Irfan Khan) has got green card. He and his brother Javed will go to USA. But Salim is madly in love with Namrata, a much older woman. But Namrata basically uses him as one of her young lovers. Salim finds that he is cheated. He goes to America. He tries to forget her but can't. Talented doctor Rahul has got an admission into US University. But he has his sick father to take care of in India. How will he manage his expenses. But he has a rich friend Khusboo(Ayesha Takia) who has more than soft corner for him. He is in dilemma. Will he go to US or not. The fourth character is Rajabhai(Paresh Rawal). He takes money from people and arranges them to send to US as part of dancing troupe. One day his old fame Tara of 19 years comes up and asks him to send her daugther to US. The soft lover in hard businessman Rajabhai risens. The paths of all four crosses from time to time and changes forever.

An interesting movie indeed boasting of fine actors and a first-time director who is known as one of India's best actors. Though the idea of running four parallel stories adds further to the interest there's just something lacking to make this movie brilliant. Anyway, on the bright side, there are some wonderful performances by Konkona Sen Sharma (this woman is born to act) who shares great chemistry with Jimmy Shergill (not his best though but good enough), Suhasini Mulay (a surprise as she's cast in a totally different role), Irfan Khan (given that the character is pretty half-baked, he did well with what he got except in his last scene), Paresh Rawal (very likable), Ratna Pathak Shah (decent), Shabana Goswami (likeable for a newcomer) and Ankur Khanna (adequate). The rest range from strictly OK to bad e.g. Boman Irani who's very loud (though less annoying than his other films) and Ayesha Takia (doesn't have much scope). Cinematography is wonderful. Music is nicely put in the background without popping up as a song sequence out of nowhere. The movie starts on a very slow pace but it slowly grows on to the viewer. It could use some editing. For a first time director, I would say it's a decent job but from a veteran actor like Naseeruddin Shah, I'd expected better. The dialogues could do with some improvement too (i mean the dialog between the brother and sister about exploitation tool? who are you kidding?). Unlike masterpiece movies, this doesn't stay long in your mind after you've watched it (except for some performances). In fact if the movie is worth watching it's for all the scenes with Konkona, particularly from the moment on where she loses her ticket at the airport lingers in mind. On the whole even though it's a flawed movie, it's quite a decent watch.

The general storyline and the climax are quite interesting. Having known nothing about the film, I was a bit suspicious when they tell us the year 2001 in the first frame of the film.. and it all came to me when Irrfan Khan sat in the office with the calendar behind him. I suddenly understood everything. The Good: Great performances by all the actors. I wasn't disappointed with anyone's performance. Good twist in the end, too. The Bad: Screenplay. Even though the movie was short, I felt that quite a few frames were wasted and did not need to be there. We didn't need the romantic angle Irrfan's character had with the older woman. She was useless to the script. Paresh Rawal's character and Rathna Pathak's charter did not need the love angle either. It didn't add anything. Fortunately, the film didn't have any ugly points. You can depend on a seasoned film personality like Naseeruddin Shah to direct a film, which, even as a débutant will be above the regular fare you watch in Bollywood. For the most part, you can appreciate the film and I will go on and say it is a good film, even with it's flaws. I guess it is a learning experience for the director, and I can just see his future ventures being much much better.

The movie could have been executed better even though a novel idea. The movie was a bit of a drag for me because as an Indian I already know the stark contrast between the kind of people who travel to the US. So it maybe an eye-opener for a foreigner but nothing new for me. The ending was the worst. They should have just probably ended with the WTC coming down. Konkana Sen traveling from Boston to LA???? Wow!!! its like 8 hrs by flight!!!! By bus it will be forever!!!! And she never bothers to contact her hubby for the days she was traveling??? WT????? Also direction wise it looked sloppy and un-professional as if I was watching it as part of an amateur film festival. Not expected out of a man of the stature of Mr. Shah.