By: Goher Iqbal Punn
Monday, July 11, 2005

Presentation: Dayal Creation
Producers: Rajesh Singh and Sanjeev Jaiswal
Director: Deepak Tijori
Cast: Manoj Bajpai, Shilpa Shetty, Shamita Shetty, Parmeet Singh, Milind Gunaji and Kelly Dorje
Music: Anu Malik

The eminent film-maker Deepak Tijori once again returns with his latest offering Fareb, which is a love triangle starring Manoj Bajpai, Shilpa Shetty and Shamita Shetty in the central roles. Oops, his directorial debut was a novel and innovative experience for Hindi cinema since it talked about the lives of the strippers. Khamosh - Khauff Ki Raat was a mysterious psychological thriller and now Fareb, a love triangle revolving around a murder mystery. So this brilliant actor turned filmmaker, who is just three films old now, never stays the same with his works, rather continues to give the cinegoers a change with his every new project.

Admit, Fareb does not offer any novelty to its audience. Besides, the subject has often been witnessed in Indian cinema. But what makes the movie different and catchy is the talented man Tijori's à la mode-enrapturing execution of direction. Frankly, the subject is routine and above all the writers have never tried to knit a script that can make home in moviegoers' hearts and live up to the standards of the luminous director's mind. It's Deepak who gets the viewers glued to their seats till the last frame of the movie.

Aditya (Manoj Bajpai) is a creative director in an advertising agency. Neha (Shilpa Shetty), his wife, is a medical practitioner. Both love each other dearly. Riya (Shamita Shetty) is a corporate woman and is the wife of a corporate magnate (Bakul Thakker), who is the client of Aditya's ad agency. During a presentation, Riya and Aditya meet where she gets lured to him. Riya now begins to seduce Aditya time and again. Initially he does not approve of this relationship but finally her charm make him surrender. This draws a rift between him and his wife Neha. A twist in the tale happens when Riya is murdered. Being the prime suspect, Aditya comes under the shadow of suspicion. The cops (Kelly Dorje and Hemant Pande) capture him. Aditya is also being watched and blackmailed for his affair with Riya.

The screenplay, a regular stuff nevertheless binds you with the magnificent piece of direction. The first half keeps the interest level alive such as the sequences of Aditya and his family, Riya's seduction to Aditya, the relationship between Aditya and Riya, the rift between husband and wife and the blackmailing, etc get your eyes fixed on the screen. Tijori's mind-boggling performance of handling the scenes is crystal clear throughout the show. The post-interval portion unfolds with surprises for the viewers. The motive and the identity of the blackmailer and the killer help you bite your nails. It's Tijori everywhere in this astonishing love-murder mystery drama. He handles the direction vigorously and with poise. Some scenes intone his goliath recital for instance, "the courtroom frames with the endowed actor Manoj Bajpai and the intense sequence between Manoj and Shamita". They have been executed with brilliance. Writers Brijesh Jayarajan and Girish Dhamija could have propelled the screenplay towards penning more innovative to make the story novel, but unfortunately they went for the routine contents. Cinematography by Manoj Soni is first-rate. Girish Dhamija's dialogues gel well with the narrative. Asif Khan grapples with the job of editing ardently. Tunes master Anu Malik's vivaciously-melodious music hoedowns with the audience. 'Baras Ja Ae Badal', 'Pehle Se' and 'Subah Bhi' are the pick of the lot.

Amongst the performers, Manoj Bajpai does not need any praiseworthy words since he is the master of art and knows the grammar of the subject with perfection. Shilpa Shetty enacts the sensitive character with élan. Shamita Shetty is getting mature with every film. The diligent actress has now taken the brilliant actor out of her that arrests the breath with incandescent acting. Kelly Dorje disappoints, he still has to learn the basics of what is called 'acting'. Milind Gunaji is mundane. The rest of the cast fills the bill.

Succinctly, Fareb is a valiant feat of Deepak Tijori and can compete with Anubhav Sinha's multi-starrer action-packed Dus at the box office.

Fareb - Movie Stills
Shilpa Shetty - Wallpapers
Shamita Shetty - Wallpapers

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