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Subhash K Jha talks about Gippi

<img align="right" alt="" class="mfr" src="http://images.bollywoodhungama.com/img/feature/13/may/gippifea.jpg"/> At the end of this endearing film you have to admit it's not just the pre-pubescent protagonist who has come of age. So has mainstream Indian cinema. It can now talk about issues such as homosexuality and menstruation without a blush. Meet Gippi then. She is free-spirited, unaffected, overweight and under-confident, though not willing to show it (her lack of confidence, that is). Gippi's story could well have become a trite pedestrian exercise in clichÃ©d sequences woven around the acne-ridden years of awkwardness and self-discovery. Instead, debutant director Sonam Nair gives us vibrant vignettes from a young defiant teenager's life in a posh school (beautifully shot by cinematographer Anshuman Mahaley) on the hills with her single mother (Divya Dutt, brilliant) and her kid-brother who seems to like all the girlie things more than Dippi does. Fearless and without inhibitions Nair's narration takes us through Gippi's life of unfettered self-discovery. The film is littered with reams of well -written scenes where we see Gippi going through situations that help her grow up. There's her mother's painful breakup with Gippi's father where Gippi must step in to defend her mother's descalating self-esteem. Then there is Gippi's own tryst with heartbreak when during her first serious crush with the campus' resident James Dean (Taaha Shah, well cast in his vain though benign character) she discovers that being fat and unattractive is not such an appalling option after all. The process of Gippi's self-exploration is lamentably not carried forward with the confidence and smoothness that one experiences in the first-half of the film when Gippi's life is shown to be a series of unplanned near-catastrophes that somehow stop short of reaching a point of no return. In the second-half, the entire chunk devoted to the school elections is comparatively tame and lacking the sparkle evident in the rest of the writing. Nonetheless there is so much to celebrate in this film, most of all the performances. 14-year old Riya Vij makes an unlikely yet thoroughly convincing heroine in a tale that requires her character to try everything, from a brassiere to heartbreak for the first time. To her credit the girl sails through all the tests put before her character. She is a prized find. As for the ever-dependable Divya Dutta as Gippi's mother, when has she ever let down a film? As Dippi's mother she puts spunk and spirit into her well-written character. Casting in fact is the backbone of this film. Not just Vij in the main role, even her friends in school are played by girls and guys who don't seem to fake it. They wouldn't know how to! The film also pays a homage to the songs of Shammi Kapoor in a rather gauche onrush of feelings. But then awkwardness is a predominant mood in this work. You can't escape clumsiness when you are groping around at the beginning of life's unique journey. So a big yippee for Gippi. It's a coming-of-age saga told with a disarming lack of artifice. The film's joie de vivre envelopes you in a sunny embrace. <a href="http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/features/type/view/id/4974" rel="nofollow">BollywoodHungama.com Features</a>

Subhash K Jha talks about Gippi

At the end of this endearing film you have to admit it's not just the pre-pubescent protagonist who has come of age. So has mainstream ...

04:28

Gippi

TAARE ZAMEEN PAR. STANLEY KA DABBA. CHILLAR PARTY... Several prominent film-makers have made films that transport you to your early days. Now Karan Johar takes you back to your teenage years with GIPPI, directed by first-timer Sonam Nair. While this is Karan/Dharma's first film with a lady director, it also marks the production house's foray at narrating a story minus 'stars'. The focus, obviously, is on kids here, but let me add in the same breath, the confidence that these kids emanate easily equals most skilled actors of our times. We're often asked, which have been the best years of our lives? As one reflects on the years gone by, one realizes that the years spent in school were the best, for sure. Of course, one didn't value it as much then, but the truth dawns upon you in the latter years of life. GIPPI takes a leaf out of our lives to recount an account that one can relate to. Frankly, Gippi's could be yours, mine, anybody's story. Many of us go through a phase that's between teens and adulthood. Films like GIPPI talk to every parent, every child since kids, generally, at that age, don't know how to deal with situations and challenges that life throws at them. The feeling of insecurity, anxiety, edginess that one experiences during those years is delightfully captured through the various kids in the film. Gippi [Riya Vij] is a 14-year-old living in Shimla with her single parent [Divya Dutta] and younger brother Booboo [Arbaz Kadwani]. She's plump, self-conscious and doesn't know how to handle the changes in her life. In school, she's constantly bullied by Shamira [Jayati Modi]. At home, she's waking up to the fact that her father [Pankaj Dheer] is all set to walk down the aisle with another woman. During the engagement ceremony of her father, Gippi is introduced to Arjun [Taaha Shah], a senior in the school. She's attracted to him, but mistakes his friendship for love. However, the love story comes to an embarrassing end at Shamira's party, who's quite a snob. Gippi decides to take life in her hands and contest the school elections against Shamira... I've often observed, several films that attempt to address teen issues neatly appear exasperating and phony. Not GIPPI. This one's well done, captures the emotions sensitively and is packed with anecdotes that make this motion picture pleasurable. Sonam does complete justice to the written material of a youngster putting together her own coming-of-age story. The issues depicted in the movie, the metamorphosis that Gippi goes through, the bitter-sweet episodes... nothing seems conventional or borrowed from films of a similar variety. Sonam, who has assisted Ayan Mukerji and Vishal Bhardwaj, seems like a proficient storyteller, for technically speaking, there are no glitches and the storytelling is devoid of hiccups as well. Besides, handling the kids and nurturing them into delivering polished performances is a cumbersome task and Sonam seems accomplished here as well. Vishal-Shekhar's soundtrack does not skip the emotions and keeps the spectator all glued during the songs. The usage of yesteryear hits is, of course, an added bonus. Anshuman Mahaley's cinematography captures the stunning hilly terrain and the beauty of Himachal Pradesh with flourish. The kids are the stars of the enterprise! Riya essays her part with utmost understanding, depicting every emotion with such natural ease. Arbaz, enacting the part of Gippi's brother, is endearing. Doorva Tripathi, as Gippi's best friend Anchal, is wonderful. Jayati Modi plays the snob with flawlessness. Mrinal Chawla, as Kabir, is wonderfully restrained. Aditya Deshpande, as Ashish, is just right. Divya Dutta gets to portray several emotions in her character and the actress, like always, is in terrific form. Pankaj Dheer is perfect in a brief role. Taaha Shah looks his part and acts very well. Raqesh Vashisht doesn't get much scope. On the whole, GIPPI is a credible take on the 'coming-of-age' variety of movies. This one's straight from the heart. Sweet, simple, emotionally engaging, heart-warming cinema! <a href="http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/moviemicro/criticreview/id/553604" rel="nofollow">BollywoodHungama.com Movie Reviews</a>

Gippi

TAARE ZAMEEN PAR. STANLEY KA DABBA. CHILLAR PARTY... Several prominent film-makers have made films that transport you to your early days. No...

04:28

Gippi

Gippi

10/05/2013 BollywoodHungama.com Release Dates

04:28