Raanjhanaa
2013 · Directed by Aanand L. Rai
Original language: Hindi
- drama
- romance
The story
A small-town boy needs to break through the class divide to gain acceptance from his childhood sweetheart who is in love with big city ideals.
What it’s like
Warm, dusty colour and crowded street life: sun-bleached lanes and river steps in the holy city, then a brighter, cooler contrast when the story moves to the capital. The camera stays close and restless in the crowds, with a lot of hand-held energy in the early scenes and wider frames along the river. The soundtrack is melodic and emotive, with sweeping songs that swell at the heart of the romance and drums and percussion that give the streets a festive pulse. Its vibe is bittersweet and ardent, a hopeful first-love story that gradually turns into heartbreak. It moves at a brisk, emotional clip, with a young man's stubborn devotion to a girl caught between her family's expectations and her ambitions, and the intensity rises toward a painful, unresolved ending. Expect some violence, including a sudden, shocking act late in the film, and a steady undercurrent of communal tension and cruelty, rather than gore. It suits a reflective evening, or anyone who wants a romance that aches, for viewers who appreciate tragic love stories, strong musical numbers, and a vivid sense of place.
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