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Some movies deserve a viewing but their promos fail to excite the viewers. Either they carry a shoody production value or far ahead of their times. In Hindi I would say some movies like "Aar Ya Paar, Lamhe, Tum Bin" and in Tamil certain movies like "Vidukathai", which are liked by the people who had seen it, but very few had seen them. Recently I caught up with "Aar Ya Paar (1997)" a Jackie Shroff starrer directed by Ketan Mehta, who made "Mangal Pandey" after a gap of 7 years from this movie. The reason why I watched "Aar Ya Paar" could have been a wrong one ("Hulle Hulle song is my favourite erotic song"), but I loved the movie. It was a thriller replete with infidelity, treachery, greed and sex.

Movie Review

Shekar Ghosla (Jackie Shroff) is a playboy banker who is adept in taking any new girl he meets to bed in the very first meeting, but the same can't be said about his profession. He falls in love with a bar girl Julie (Ritu Shivpuri). Meanwhile his concerned boss hands him over the accont of one of their client Veena Malhotra (Kamal Siddhu), a rich heiress but orphan. On Julie's suggestion, Shekar seduces and marries Veena eyeing her property. In parallel he is smitten by her spectacled secretary Anu Chauhan (Deepa Sahi) and develops a sexual affair with her. Slowly he becomes obsessed about her and couldn't resist even after knowing that she is in love somebody else.

When Veena comes to know about Shekar's romantic indiscretions, she warns him dire consequences. Shekar and Anu conspire to bump off Veena, but only hitch in the process is Police Inspector Mr. Khan, who happens to be Veena's close friend, is aware of Shekar's intentions of marrying Veena. Shekar succesfully kills her, but wasn't aware that the rude shock of deceipt is around the corner.

{mosimage}In a single word "Aar Ya Paar" is a kick ass film. It is racy, sexy and deeply engaging, making you look forward the next. I came across some blogs that "Aar Ya Paar" is a faithful lift of James Hardley Chase's "The Sucker Punch" including the dialogues. If a "Johnny Gaddar" can work today, may be if "Aar Ya Paar" was made today, it wold have definitely found its audiences in multiplexes. The movie is well made except the song sequences that pulls brakes to the othewise engrossing story, surprisingly sounding good in the cassettes.

Nobody else at that time could have played Shekar Ghosla convincingly than Jackie Shroff. He is sexy, stunning carrying that playboy attitude upto his sleeve. That laidback swagger, droopy eyes and a laggard dialogue delivery completes the sex symbol tag making Jackie Shroff an ideal candidate to play Shekar. But same cannot be said about Kamal Siddhu who debuted in this movie. BTW for those who came late, Kamal Siddhu is a famous Channel [V] VJ in mid 90's, who tried an acting career with Aar Ya Paar. As Veena Malhotra, she was so wooden, stiff and couldn't emote properly. Fortunately she was killed in the first half itself not making the viewer's life miserable.

{mosimage}Anu Chauhan was played by Deepa Sahi, the wife of this movie director Ketan Mehta. Among all the role's Anu was the best with a multitude shades, but Deepa was miscast. The role needed the sensuality and looks, which Deepa lacked. But she was so comfortable in sex scenes with Jackie Shroff and it is hard to believe that they were directed by her husband himself. Better not to be written about Ritu Shivpuri.Paresh Rawal who had hit a big time later teaming with Priyadarshan, had a competent role in Aar Ya Paar as Inspector Mr. Khan. Satish Shah appears in a supportive role. Thats all about the whole casting of the movie.

The movie had some nice visuals in the "Man Chahe Sanam", a beautiful romantic ballad shot at Venice, from a tourist point of view. Also most of the movie was shot in the Jaipur palace, ensuring some eye pleasing interiors. Also the sex song "Hulle Hulle" between Jackie Shroff and Deepa Sahi was aesthetically shot.

From the outset "Aar Ya Paar" looks like a B-Grade flick with shoddy production values, but it is brilliant for a normal cinema viewer. It is a thriller unlike "Who did it?", you look forward how he moves further. Shekar as cunning and manipulating till the last shot will definitely entertain you. May be it came at the time the Indian audiences were engrossed with candyfloss fares & tearjerkers like "DDLJ" and "Judaai", Aar Ya Paar (1997) was out of place. This movie has a tight screenplay and some commendable performances. It is a page to page adaptation of James Hadley Chase's "The Sucker Punch". About 10 years later a movie that came with the touch of James Hardely Chase is Sirdhar Raghavan's "Johnny Gaddar". Available in Moserbaer VCD catalogue for Rs. 28/-