‘Gehraiyaan’ is more than just a story of superficial glorification of betrayal. It’s a story within a story depicting the complexities of human emotions, childhood trauma etched in minds forever, vulnerability and the loop of the past. It’s a work of art. The Shakun Batra directorial is about real-life problems and messed-up relationships. Although there is an open end to the movie with a fumbling plot, one gets a painstaking vibe throughout.
Everyone around us including us is flawed and vulnerable. At certain points in life, everything turns the wrong way, that we make wrong decisions that we repent, that take us back into that same loop we try to escape. The protagonists are somehow flawed people who make mistakes. The story it tried to portray wasn’t executed the way it should have been and that is the reason why no one actually understands the deeper meanings and metaphors.
The four flawed souls, Alisha who is a yoga instructor, Karan who is an advertising executive and to-be writer, Tia who is Alisha’s cousin is getting married to a cool ambitious man Zain met at a small vacation on Alibaug. They all have similar past experiences and want to escape their scars.
There are a number of symbols used in the movie. Deepika who plays the role of Alisha couldn’t fit into a sweater that was stuck between her head and body. She couldn’t breathe and that was the first time she felt suffocated, however, that feeling remained with her throughout her life. The sweater symbolized suffocation. Her mother felt the same way in her marriage and relationships.
She finally took off the sweater by ending her life. Alisha always felt that she would end up like her and maybe she did. She was stuck and suffocated in her relationship with her father and her long-term boyfriend Karan in two different ways. Zain aka Siddhant pulled out the sweater but he was also the one who pushed her back in that same loop.
Ananya Pandey plays Tia who is comfortable in her own skin, is constantly trying to escape her overprotective mother’s influence. Siddhant’s character had much more than the movie portrays. Both their individual stories aren’t depicted and that leaves a void throughout.
Dhairya who plays Karan is almost neglected throughout the movie. The protagonist seems to have a guest appearance in the movie.
The ocean symbolizes secrets. The four souls are full of secrets within them. They are much more than the fancy life they live. Kaushal Shah’s cinematography enhances the symbolic meaning that the ocean portrays. The evocative background music adds to it and the shots are nothing but perfect. Ocean also symbolizes silences and deep inhales amidst growing emotional turmoil.
Romance and sensuality are a part of the drama where a very passionate romance is showcased between Zain and Alisha but ‘Gehraiyaan’ is much more than passion. It’s a mirror to this vulnerable lonely generation that is stuffed with emotions they can’t shout out loud. It is about being unable to move on and unable to confront dark truths. It’s about bonds that give one nothing but scars for life.
The dialogues are crisp and provide an insight into the characters. The music is raw and real that one can hear on loop the entire day.
Naseeruddin Shah plays an effortlessly amazing role that leaves you with a pause. Everyone will actually empathize with him.
‘Gehraiyaan’ has an amazing cast who has given amazing performances. The movie however is not for the mass who will look at it from the superficial level and judge the story. The movie is full of deeper meanings and a work of art.
‘Gehraiyaan’ is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Rating: 4/5
