Fast Love

So,Hollwyood flies down to Kolkata,and Neil Basu (played by Indraneil) and Nikita (played by Priyanka) greets you as an upper-middle class,English speaking couple whose relationship is up against time. Neil,you’re told is an advertising professional whose dreams ride on designing a campaign for a Fiama Di Wills soap and Nikita is an aspiring musician who has deserted her bright career in Mumbai to be with Neil. (Yes,Nikita pronounces love with two a-s and her diction seems to be a deliberate act of defiance against British phonetics,you decide against being an elitist and believe her story). Lovers bicker,girl laments how her guy has changed,stomps away,meets with an accident and dies. Lover goes into a bout of depression,only to wake up next morning and realize it had all been a bad dream. In between,there’s God (or is it destiny) who seems to have discovered jatra and made an entry into the film in the form of Shaheb Chatterjee. The most painful 25 minutes of the film later,you’re told that guy’s nightmare is uncannily on the verge of coming true.

However,Jodi Ekdin should be given brownie points for the sense of feel good it infuses in you despite the heat,despite the power-cuts,despite having spent two hours of your life on it. Firstly,you come out feeling that your wardrobe is Oscar-worthy. Or realising world-famous musicians (A R in the film) wear make-up,wigs and speak crisp Bengali. How good-looking,rich men have a bad taste in women.

And if all your pleas to God have fallen on deaf years all these years,you know what he is usually up to while you’re busy lighting incense sticks and muttering prayers. Oh yes,after you have watched Jodi Ekdin,your K-serial addiction need not stay in a closet. At least they breed good actors!