But the BIG question is: does each scoop give you the 'real' taste? Well, Life in… Metro is quite filling that ways!
Yes, it does take off from Billy Wilder's classic, The Apartment but buddy, this ain't about any funny business. Basu is talking serious stuff here… he's talking the 'real' stuff.
Seven very complicated characters pulled together onto one platform to exhibit the unending tussle between the practical and emotional aspects of the human mind. And Anurag Basu successfully narrates his vision with clarity and perfection.
Shikha, a smart and talented girl, gives up everything to cherish her family life. But things are far from cordial, when it comes to her relation with her husband Ranjeet. And it is this growing distance with him, which brings her close to Akash.
Akash is a theatre artist – unsuccessful and divorced. The duo form a strange but strong bond and find solace in each others' company.
But this is just the beginning folks. Even Ranjeet is having a 'stress-relieving' affair with his junior, Neha. The relation is less about love and more about an overworked boss seeking respite from the tensions of life.
Rahul, an employee of the same company, provides his flat-keys to his seniors to have a desirable time! And in return he wins brownie points to climb the corporate ladder quickly. However, Rahul is oblivious of the fact that his boss' 'desire' is none other than the lady of his dreams.
Then there is Shruti, Shikha's sister and Neha's roommate. And the tragedy of her life is that she is 30 and still a virgin! This frustration forces her to be hooked onto marriage portals, where she bumps into a unique sample piece, Debu.
And finally there is the 70-year old Amol, who reunites with his ex-flame Vaijanti.
One thing which would keep the audience sitting there for two hours without bothering to check the time is the 'familiarity' issue. With so many shades of emotions and passions etched into the characters, one is bound to hit upon a scene or two, which would make them say, 'yes, that's me'!
It is with such precision that Anurag Basu delivers, pushing forth the variations on love and the lack of it, the society's money-mania and of course its double standards.
It is crisply edited without any clichéd lines and although it's a reaction-packed film, the melodrama is kept out.
As for the song, well like most of the other Bollywood films, even Life in… Metro too could have successfully survived without it. Yet it differs in a way that most of the songs, despite being unnecessary, are skillfully incorporated in the screenplay.
Apart from the dedicated direction and slick cinematography, one thing which gives the film its true taste is the keen performances.
This is not a 'one-actor and many supporting-actors' film. It belongs to all the characters on the screen. None have a particular white-or-black shade. All have that grey streak. All go through similar emotional ups and downs. All face a kind of scarcity in life. All are incomplete in one way or the other. And each tale is interlinked with the other beautifully. Each bonding is treated very maturely.
Everyone has delivered but few names which need a special mention are that of Shilpa Shetty, Sharman Joshi and Konkona Sen.
Shilpa has, perhaps for the first time, snapped away from the item girl image to convey her character's anguish, carefully keeping away from the Bollywood schmaltz. Yes, the "brown-and-beautiful" Shilpa (as said by SRK) sails successfully in a bigger boat than that of Big Brother.
Sharman Joshi's role is a welcome. Jumping out his unofficial 'comic' designation to take up something different, Joshi has given a good show. And what's even better is to see Konkona free herself from the usual cold, intense and hard-hitting roles and shake a leg with the 'aam janta' of B-town.
And Irrfan Khan, as usual, is a complete treat.
Life in… Metro may not have an out-of-the-box script and may not have the 'A' class stars studding it but the film is definitely not to be missed. It does what it was suppose to do. DELIVERS!
New Delhi, May 11: Rating: ***1/2
