Sheesha Movie Review

SHEESHA may not boast of terrific face-value, but thanks to its well-crafted promos and a catchline ['Some mirrors lie'] that raises curiosity further, the expectations from the film are enormous.

SHEESHA has an interesting plot, but a theme like this - obsession - is not new to Indian cinema. Right from DARR to its many clones, Bollywood has unfailingly churned out products that take a look at obsessive behavioral patterns.

In SHEESHA, it's the twin sister who is obsessed with her brother-in-law. And that is a novel aspect for an Indian cinegoer. Director Ashu Trikha does swim against the tide, but as the plot thickens, he succumbs to monotony and predictability.

SHEESHA could've been a thrilling experience, but the cracks in the mirror [screenplay] are too obvious to disregard!

SHEESHA tells the story of Sia [Neha Dhupia] and her soul mate Raj [Sonu Sood].

Raj is associated with Channel 7, a satellite channel operating in Thailand. Sia is a budding fashion designer whose designer outfit 'Shades' is on the threshold of going international.

Destiny brings Sia to Raj. Love blossoms and at the same time, Raj helps Sia climb the ladder of new professional heights. Through his good offers, Sia's brand gains recognition internationally.

All seems well from the outside but oblivious to Sia and Raj, there's a threat lurking which is raring to tear their relationship apart.

Enter Sia's twin-sister Ria [Neha Dhupia in a dual role], a deaf and mute girl due to a neurological disorder, who has taken a strong liking for Raj the moment she set eyes on him.

Sia has to leave for an international assignment, but she ensures that Raj looks after Ria in her absence. Slowly, Raj starts realizing that Ria is not what she seems and that mirror images can be deceitful.

Add a dash of SHARMILEE [Raakhee enacted the role of twin-sisters - one simpleton, the other, a vamp] and a bit of DARR with ample doses of skin show, and presto, SHEESHA is ready to be served! In fact, in the recent VAADA, a slightly similar theme [obsession; one of them with physical inability] was tackled as well.

Although SHEESHA gives you the feeling of d? vu/been-there-done-that kind of a feeling constantly, director Ashu Trikha ought to be credited for handling major portions of the film quite well. The steamy sequences between Sonu and Neha [Sia and Ria], the tense moments between Sonu and Neha [Ria], the overall packaging is a notch above the ordinary.

So where does SHEESHA falter? It's in the post-interval portions that Ashu and the screenplay department goes haywire and surrenders to the mundane, formulaic stuff. While Ashu reveals Ria's intentions in the first half-an-hour itself, the post-interval portions is where the story gets into the routine mould and you can actually guess what's in store next.

Like, for instance, the cop [investigating the murder of a foreigner] questioning Sia on the basis of a earring looks ridiculous. Meaning, how did the cop know that the earring belonged to Sia/Ria? Prior to that, Sonu suffers heavy burns on his arm while trying to save Ria, but after being discharged from the hospital, he lands up in the pool in the very next scene, with bandage intact, while a sizzling Ria tries to seduce him. Quite imaginative!

These are minor blemishes. But the finale, the climax on the rooftop, is so predictable that the impact of the first half evaporates into thin air.

On the plus side, the steamy portions - and there's ample in the second half - have been shot aesthetically. The generous exhibition of skin show does keep the viewer's attention arrested for a while.

Director Ashu Trikha catches your finger and takes you right there, but suddenly abandons you in the latter part. However, there's no denying that he's an efficient technician who can really work wonders if given the right script. The packaging of the film is truly first-rate!

Music [Sen Brothers] is melodious. 'Yaar Ko Maine', 'Mujhe Jeena Sikha Do Na' and 'Assi Ishq Da Dard' are well tuned and equally well filmed. Cinematography [Raju Kaygee] is up to the mark. The skyline of Bangkok is beautifully captured on celluloid. Dialogues [Sanjay Masoom] are functional.

If you thought that Neha Dhupia exposed her anatomy and talent to the optimum in JULIE, then you've got to watch SHEESHA. Neha carries the two difficult roles with terrific understanding and emerges trumps as a performer. She also exposes her anatomy freely and confidently, minus any inhibitions. It doesn't look vulgar or sleazy at all.

Sonu Sood does a decent job. Vivek Shauq provides some entertaining moments. Eildith Macqueen gets no scope.

On the whole, SHEESHA is at best an ordinary fare. At the box-office, the film has some chances at smaller centres, but at metros and multiplexes mainly, the cracks on the mirror would be more and more evident as days progress.