Worth every aana!

A mellow, mirthful and at times, moving tale of three North Indian migrants.

What's It About: A mellow, mirthful and at times, moving tale of three North Indian migrants. This tale of tantalising possibilities may not be Mr Raj Thackeray's idea of an evening out. Dammit, it may not be ANYONE's idea of an entertainer.

But for a discerning audience Barah Aana brings in a sense of un-visited surprise. There are three main characters, a quiet driver Shukla (Shah), a watchman Yadav (Raaz) and a waiter Aman (Mathur) all driven to the doors of despair but stopped in time by a self-directed sense of humour that saves them from self-destruction. The three-way interactive story gathers momentum when the trio hits on an age-old formula for survival: crime.

What's Good: Scripted by Raj Kumar Gupta who directed the rivetting Aamir, Barah... derives its strength from the frailties and vulnerabilities of the three migrant characters who seem to be drawn into the dark side of life without knowing where they're heading.

Director Raja Menon seems to view the people in his plot with a reasonable degree of detachment. There's a sense of finesse in the way these unsophisticated characters chart their course without self-pity. Of course, the film would've never worked without the cast.

What does one say about Naseeruddin Shah without sounding completely like a fan? He's brilliant as the bullied embittered silently-seething drive. Vijay Raaz, gives a sly snarling spin to his role. His performance has both bark and bite. Another riveting performance comes from Tannishtha Chatterjee as Rani.

What's Bad: With the message being the migrant's plight, Barah Aana would hardly appeal to multiplex audiences. Films on lives of migrants whether it's Muzaffar Ali's Daman or Sudhir Mishra's Dharavi score high on cinematic works but low on mass appeal.

What To Do: See Barah Aana for its terrific performances.

Barah Aana

U/A; Comedy
Dir: Raja Menon
Cast: Neseeruddin Shah, Vijay Raaz, Arjun Mathur
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At a cinema near you

ANDHERI
Fun (11 am, 11.30 am, 8.30 pm), Fame Big (10.15 am, 2.40 pm, 6.45 pm, 10.45 pm), Cinemax Versova (12.30 pm, 4 pm, 9 pm)

BANDRA
Gossip (12.30 pm, 3.30 pm), Globus (10.45 pm), Movietime Bandra (6.15 pm)

CHURCHGATE
Inox Nariman Point (10.20 am, 3.55 pm, 9 pm), Eros (1 pm, 10 pm)

COLABA
Regal (7 pm)
CST Sterling (11.15 pm, 6 pm, 8 pm), New Empire (8.15 pm)

DADAR
Nakshatra (6 pm), Premiere (9.30 pm)

JUHU
PVR (1.25 pm, 6.30 pm, 9 pm), Chandan (3.30 pm, 6.30 pm)u00a0u00a0u00a0
MALAD Fame (10.30 am, 2.45 pm, 7 pm, 11 pm)

MARINE LINES
Liberty (3.30 pm, 6.30 pm), Metro Big (2.25 pm, 8.35 pm)

MULUND
PVR (10:30 am, 4:40 pm, 11:15 pm), R Big (4.35 pm, 8.45 pm)

GOREGAON
PVR (11.15 am, 4.05 pm, 8.55 pm, 10.55 pm)

JOGESHWARI
24 Karat (3.30 pm, 10.45 pm)

LOWER PAREL
PVR (12.25 pm, 2.25 pm, 6.55 pm, 11 pm)

SANTACRUZ
Inox (12.45 pm)

SION
Cinemax (10.30 am, 6.30 pm, 9 pm)

Thane Cinemax Wonder Mall (2 pm, 6 pm, 10 pm)

Wadala
IMAX Big (11.45 pm, 4.15 pm, 8.35 pm)