Shimla Mirchi

Ramesh Sippy made films in an era where the narrative took its own time unspooling. Though the length of the film is two hours and 15 minutes, this unhurried style of filmmaking makes it appear longer than the actual length. The basic conceit of the film -- that of an elderly woman mistakenly falling in love with a younger man isn't developed to the extent it should have been. There should have been more scenes between Hema Malini and Rajkummar Rao to spell it all out properly. Instead of exploring that and teasing out a situational comedy out if it, Sippy has made the one-sided romance between Rakul Preet and Rajkummar as the centrepiece, thereby distancing the narrative from a unique idea.

Ramesh Sippy’s latest film, made 25 years after his previous film, was lying in cold storage for over five years, and finally has found distribution. There’s an inevitable fear that the film and the direction would appear dated, and the results don’t disappoint. Although the film is shot in close frames and loud colours, which are meant for television viewing, and has arbitrary cuts passed off as editing, the film’s most anachronistic elements are its script, screenplay and acting. The old-fashioned telling could have worked as a throwback or homage to the traditional Bollywood comedy of errors or love-at-first-sight romance but Shimla Mirchi , with its over-the-top narrative clichés, would still be counted among the most avoidable films, even if it were to release in the 90s.

Ramesh Sippy’s first theatrical release in a quarter of a century should be an event – but it’s a bit of a sideshow. Completed five years ago and out in theatres only now, Shimla Mirchi feels resolutely old-fashioned (which isn’t a bad thing at all) but also fusty (which is). Some of the plotting is as creaky as the stairs in a colonial-era house, and the shooting style – very little movement, indoor scenes, and uncomfortable close-ups as though the camera were held centimetres away from the face – indicate an approach better suited to the small screen. And yet, there are minor charms packed into Shimla Mirchi, written by Sippy, Kausar Munir, Rishi Virmani and Vipul Binjola.