Darsh Thakkar

Spoiler Alert Maybe! I watched Tamasha again today and thought of writing this review. I have heard people rave about this movie, and I have listened to people diss about it. But this movie is one of those that get close to your heart, one of those that make you question the way you live your life, and one of those that you watch when you feel like you are losing yourself in life while trying to achieve everything that you've never wanted but fell in your path because you know, every other person is running behind it. This is the story of Ved, a Product Manager (as much as he and I wouldn't like to describe him as one), and Tara, a person he meets on his trip to Corsica. You can see his love for telling stories and listening to them throughout the movie- quite clearly when he was a kid, and a few glimpses of it when he becomes an adult. Somewhere down his life, due to all the responsibilities, family pressure, the pressure to continue what his father and grandfather have done for the family, and the pressure of earning money to keep his life going, Ved has packed his dreams and passion about telling stories tightly in a box, locked it, and thrown the key somewhere he doesn't even know. He only remembers that the key exists once he meets Tara, who helps him find his dreams, passion, and love. Tamasha reminds you about your childhood and how you wanted to be something, something that society might never approve of merely because it is different- different than what people usually choose, different than the sure-shot ways of earning money. When Ved was a child, he'd collect money in every possible way to go to this old storyteller who'd tell him stories of all kinds, and that was his identity and his only passion and love. This time, he returns to him in crisis and asks about his story. He says he's brought way more money today and wants to know what happens in the story of his own life. This storyteller guy, who can barely speak, gets irked and shoos him away, saying he's a coward who needs someone to tell him his story and that he has everything within him to write it himself, but he's looking for validation outside, in the world. This scene is a fantastic glimpse of the fact that you can't buy the story you want, the one you've always wanted, with money. Tamasha also tells you that one day, you'll find someone who will help you discover who you are rather than trying to mold you- this is what you call 'growing together.' Tamasha is beyond beautiful. Tamasha is stellar. And Tamasha is more than a movie. And you might not like it (or understand it today), but at some point, when you're growing through life, not knowing where you can find solace from the chaos, be sure to throw it on the TV or curl up in your bed with it playing on your laptop- you'd be surprised how much you'd relate to it and will shed a tear or two while watching this masterpiece. So here's to more Veds discovering themselves instead of bowing down to the norms and finding their Taras while they go through their lives!