Director: Kundan Shah
Cast: Priety Zinda, Saif Ali Khan, Chandrachur Singh, Anupam Kher, Navneet Nishan, etc.
Too much of anything can be unpleasant, especially if what is dished out is mediocre fare. That is the problem with Kya Kehna. There are too many songs. Not one lives on in the mind. And of course, the story line has no relevance in the present day, definitely not in the way it is handled. It is the story of Priya (Priety Zinda), an undergraduate with three protective brothers and doting parents (Anupam Kher & Farida Jalal). Despite sane advice and strong objections from the family, especially brother Vicky, she falls for college-mate and self-confessed flirt Rahul (Saif Ali Khan), whose main pastime seems to be leaping across gorges in his sports car. His snob mother (Navneet Nishan) also frowns upon her son's dalliance. After a couple of fisticuffs between Vicky and Rahul, the latter plays hard to get, but Priya persists and the inevitable happens. A roll in the grass and Priya is pregnant.
This becomes known when, in the midst of Vicky's nuptial celebrations the girl faints. A desperate Priya knocks on Rahul's door, only to be insulted and turned away by his mother. When her father and Vicky plead with Rahul, he says he is not husband stuff. He is willing to make one concession, though. He will marry the girl, but divorce her the very next day. Otherwise, he suggests, the girl can have an abortion. And what do you think, the 16-year-old urban girl decides? After a glance at some childhood pictures of Lord Krishna, she decides to have her baby and bring it up.
She is kicked out of the house by her father, though he relents under the tearful pressure of the rest of the family. Collegemates, including her best friend, ostracise her. They even stage a play paradying her situation. Priya reacts by getting on stage and giving a long lecture on why she had decided to have the baby. Rahul, who is sitting in the front row, has a change of heart and wants to marry Priya. But, surprise! the girl declines. Instead, she accepts Ajay(Chandrachur Singh), neighbour and friend-in-crises who has been pining in the background with unrequited love all the while.
Though the theme is stale, a modern approach to its treatment might have made it watchable. But both the storywriter and the director, like Rip Wan Winkle, seem simply out of touch with the times. The whole film is regressive and sends the wrong signals. Possibly, the only redeeming factor is the beautiful locales, brilliantly captured by the camera. Saif Ali khan has underplayed his role reasonably well. Age has fortunately given him a mature appearance. He now looks less like Sharmila Tagore in male attire! If Priety Zinda's voice is dubbed, then it's high time she opted for another dubbing artiste. She sounds harsh and jarring. The greatest tragedy is Chandrachur Singh. The talented artist, who was so intensely moving in Maachis, is totally wasted in this film. The script writer has no idea Kya Kehna (what to say) and the director Kundan Shah, who gave us the laugh riot Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro has forgotten all about Kaise Kehna (how to say).
by S. SWETHA
