'Tamasha' review: Ranbir-Deepika weave a good story

IBTimes India Rating: 3.5

Story-telling is an art. An art, in which Ranbir Kapoor's Ved emerges successful, but director Imtiaz Ali falters a tad.

Ved and Tara (Deepika Padukone) spent their Corsican vacation play-acting, hiding their real names and letting go of life's worries. A week full of fun and games; she bids goodbye only to realise her heart longs for him.

A few years and tightly-done montages later, Tara travels to Delhi and finds the man she loves. Unfortunately, a few days into their 'happy' reunion she dismisses him giving reasons that has him shocked.

Shaken and stirred, Ved's reaction to the rejection was strange but at least it gave him the much-needed push to break out of the monotony his managerial job comes with.

Ved is lazy and under-confident, leading a robotic life and running a meaningless race. He's unsure of being the guy he was in Corsica, the one Tara knows and understands.

One would usually feel sorry for a guy who is lost in life and directionless. But Ved isn't sympathy-worthy as he never protested against what was being dumped on him until he got told-off by a wizened story-teller that he should be writing his own tale.

What works for "Tamasha" is Ved, his understanding of life and the ability to turn it on its head. What breaks the pulse is non-sequential narrative.

Just when you're warming up to a heart-broken man trying to strike up a conversation with an auto-rickshaw guy, you're suddenly taken back to the hills and its many stories.

But then again, Ali's stories always manifest themselves differently. In this one, he never gives in to the clichés, although a few segments seem slightly contrived.

Kapoor is outstanding. The quickness with which he changes his expression every time he tries to convince himself in the mirror that he's living a lie, is phenomenal. He makes Ved look fractured yet believable.

Padukone doesn't get an impressive backstory. She lands a character who globe-trots, stalks and knows Ved is meant for brighter things in life. Even then, she lights up the frame with her charm and impeccable acting chops.

In a nutshell, "Tamasha" knows where it's going but takes an unnecessary detour.