Summary B-town has become quite experimental when it comes to its lead characters.
MUMBAI (Web Desk) - When director Rajkumar Gupta narrated Vidya Balan her role of a quirky housewife in Ghanchakkar, she instantly agreed because she thought it was the most unusual character she would play.
Watching Vidya s Punjabi homemaker Neetu in the most bizarre outfits and in a kinky avatar was the last thing that the audience thought they would be in for. After successfully completing the film, Vidya realised it wasn t Neetu who was unusual, but the fact that a character like Neetu was heroine in a Bollywood film.
"Everyone found Neetu an absurd character. But we do meet such characters in life. They are weird and bizarre but they amuse us," said Vidya. "This is what we have done - derived the humour and drama from real people and situations." While discussing her muchtalked- about character in the film, Vidya hinted at the evolution of characters that are not necessarily picture perfect in Hindi films. It s the flaws that make them unique and lovable.
"The audience is in the mood to break away from stereotypes. They want experimental stories. To narrate a different story we need unique characters that are quirky and yet identifiable," said director Gupta, while promoting the film.
A little tweaking here and there plus some imagination can add a dash of colour to mundane characters. Driven by this thought, filmmaker Aanand L. Rai tried to give a modern twist to the loverboy in his recent release film, Raanjhanaa . The film, clearly inspired by folklore of Heer- Raanjha , does not have stereotypical romantic leads.
Kolavari di boy Dhanush, whose only claim to fame so far was being Rajinikanth s son- inlaw, made a Bollywood debut and surprised all with his avatar as the new- age loverboy.
Since love stories are a Bollywood staple and a chocolate- faced lover remains a mandatory ingredient, Dhanush s average look and ordinary mannerism added to the uniqueness of his role. After presenting Kangna Ranaut as a free- spirited, foul mouthed Tanu in his previous release, Tanu Weds Manu, director Rai wanted to present a new- age romance set against a unique background.
The critical acclaim received by Dhanush proved the uniqueness worked for the film. Richa Chadda as the hard- cussing Bholi Punjaban in Fukrey has been among the most unconventional baddie in Bollywood.
She shocked the audience with some choicest expletives in her role of a ruthless pimp and money- lender. Producer Farhan Akhtar searched for an innocent face that could shock the audience with her vicious mind games. While conceptualising the film, he had created Bholi Punjaban as a character that was a true blue villain.
"Farhan wanted that the character should not look like a typical vamp or ugly woman but a ruthless villain who was out on job," says Richa, stressing that the foul- language only highlighted the element of venom in the character.
Filmmaker Neeraj Pandey, who masters the art of narrating unusual plots and creating odd characters, confirms that unless he brings about a certain uniqueness in the characters, he feels as if he is cheating his audience.
Emraan s character of the magician Bobo had a certain mystery about it. He also managed to elevate the eerie feeling by unleashing the demon in him in the climax. The antihero protagonist in Bollywood is mostly one out of a few standard prototypes. He could have become a gangster/ smuggler owing to poverty, He could be an obsessed loverboy who takes to stalking, or he could be driven by the ambition for power. Akshay s character, Ajay, who poses as a fake CBI officer to loot people with black money along with his gang, was unique.
Quirk quotient: Akshay shed his regular larger- thanlife superstar image to acquire a get- up of an unassuming trickster. Director Neeraj Pandey scripted the characters based on real people who carried out a similar heist in the 80s at a prominent jewellery shop in Mumbai. The well- scripted character of an unusual criminal was perfectly pulled off by a bespectacled Akshay sporting a thin moustache and oiled hair.
The Indian audience cannot fathom a lead actress playing a housewife who poses as a seductress and strikes the most bizarre fashion statements possible. Sheer imperfection made the middle class Punjabi housewife Neetu different.
