Tere Naam Review

The ending of Tere Naam has been changed with effect from the second week in some parts of the country .The alteration is more like an explanation for the tragic ending of the film , which has met with mixed audience response.

In the new conclusion , Salman Khan is shown to be aging in the ashram for the mentally ill people after the present end , in which he boards a van which takes him to the ashram .

For campus loafer Radhe Mohan, life’s all about having the weirdest hairstyle in Uttar Pradesh, smoking like a chimney, getting into street brawls and ragging girls. But when he encounters simple ‘n’ sweet Nirjara, he tries to change.

A remake of the Tamil film Sethu, director Satish Kaushik’s Tere Naam looks at a ruffian’s obsessive love for an ordinary girl. It’s said to be based on a true story, and as such, doesn’t provide the regular dose of predictable twists.

However, though the first half has its absorbing moments, the film moves on a completely different tangent post-interval, and is badly affected by many over-dramatised and loud portions.

Here, Radhe (Salman Khan) is  killing time at the railway station, when he comes across Nirjara (Bhoomika Chawla), the priest’s daughter. Though he initially rags her by taking her lunch box and asking her to salute him, he slowly falls in love.

Nirjara is terrified of Radhe, who proposes to her by saying he’ll settle down with a job as a bouncer in a beer bar. She’s too stunned at that moment, but a few days later, says she doesn’t have any  feelings for him.

Angered at the rejection, Radhe kidnaps her and tells her:  “I don’t want to rape you, but just want you to be happy.” That’s enough for Nirjara to fall for him too, but before anything happens, he’s beaten up by  goons and  loses his mental balance.

In showing the attempts to cure Radhe, the movie loses control. Scenes at an ashram for mentally-impaired people are particularly disturbing. Despite some unexpected twists, the excess drama messes up things.

Though the tale has its ups and downs, the film is boosted by Himesh Reshammiya’s superb music, Mahendra Verma’s action sequences and Jainendra Jain’s well-structured dialogues. S Sriram’s cinematography is appealing, though the flow is marred by too many shots of the Taj Mahal and passing trains.

In her first Hindi film (she’s pretty well-known in the Telugu film world), Bhoomika is fairly spontaneous. However, it’s Salman who really impresses – despite that hideous hairstyle. Whether he’s playing the confused vagabond or the helpless lunatic, he comes across naturally.

You only wish Tere Naam sustained your interest till the end.

Tere Naam
SUBHASH K JHA


Starring Salman Khan, Introducing Bhoomika Chawla, Sachin Khedeker, Ravi Kissen, Sarfaraz Khan
Directed by Satish Kaushik

After the sweet-tempered otherworldly tenor of Hrithik Roshan and Koi…Mil Gaya last week, Salman Khan shocks you in this week's release, and not only because his character Radhe is the last word in heroic aggression.

You'd think that the recent conrtroversies in the actor's life, not to mention the string of wimpy debacles like Yeh Hai Jalwa and Tumko Na Bhool Payenge, would've dimmed the tidal waves of Salman's personality. In Tere Naam he comes up with a defiantly definitive performance, easily his best yet.

As Radhe the local campus hero with unruly hair falling to his cheeks(which he brushes off daintily during emotionally revealing moments) and with an attitude to match , Salman delivers a slammer. Exuding a blend of arrogance and benignity, spitting bloodied fists at the local goons one minute, eyes brimming with lovelorn anguish the next minute, the star makes an illimitably powerful impact , specially in the second half where chained and muffled in a lunatic assylum Salman's eyes express the unspeakable torture of unconsummated love.

Director Satish Kaushik has been so far associated with fluffy often idiotic family dramas like Badhaai Ho Badhaai and Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai. In Tere Naam he's on far more adventurous and fulfilling territory. He paces the film evenly and doesn't compromise on the protagonist's volatile character even if it means showing Radhe perched dangerously in the twilight zone.
 

The tender courtship with the hitherto uncouth Radhe is spiced by some smartly written verbal exchanges(veteran writer Jainendra Jain at his best) that manifest the smalltown youth's attitude to girls and romance, even as they bring our the fireball of turmoil that's Radhe's psyche.

The unlikely object of Radhe's undying adoration is Nirjala, a sweet petite demure priest's daughter, played with disarming naivete by newcomer Bhoomika Chawla, whose presence alone reduces Radhe to a gelatinous mass of quivering ecstacy.

Radhe's redhot anguish at being rejected by the docile girl nextdoor is perfectly mirrored in Salman `s fits of ferocious hysteria and whining whimpering dejection. Kaushik uses the the Agra backdrop effectively to convey a crusty rugged cow-belt ambience. But the sequences after Radhe moves to an ayurvedic mental assylum are oppressively dark. The horrified awareness of a mentally recuperated man that he many never come out of the hellish healing-place, turns the romance of the first-half into a quasi-horror drama that audiences would find unsettling and revolting.
 

In the end when Radhe turns his back on a `sane' society to go back to the assylum you wonder if such abject defeatism is palatable to today's joy-starved audience.

Like many South Indian adaptations including Saathiya and Yeh Dil, the courtship scenes are located on a bustling railway platform.

The soundtrack is interestingly coherent, with natural and manmade noises fusing in a a raga of modern anarchy. S.Sriram's cinematography is outstanding . The bright sunlit outdoors in the first-half manifest Radhe's romantic awakening while the claustrophobic gloom of the second-half take us deep into the sunless realm of madness and despair. Either way, the film basks in the prismatic colours of cinematic life in all its glory.

Himesh Reshamiyya's songs are one of the film's unstoppable virtues. They carpet the lush romance with a kind of melody we seldom get to hear in our cinema any longer. Numbers like Tumse milna, Tere naam and Odhni replicate the resonances of Radhe's heart and mind , depicting a a hero with a heart of gold and a fist of iron at his filmy best.

Those who have seen the Tamil star Vikram play the same role in Sethu swear the character couldn't go into better hands. Watching Salman swerve effortlessly through the dark and rocky terrain of his complex character's psyche I am not too sure of that. Obsessive unrequited love has been done by many actors in the past from Dilip Kumar in Mehboob Khan's Andaz to Amitabh Bacchan in Parwana to Shah Rukh Khan in Anjaam. But none has done it with such stunning physical and emotional aggression. Salman takes over the show with gut-wrenching and finally devastating impact. The supporting cast has some extremely capable actors including Sachin Khedekar . But this is Salman's show all the way. And what a massive blow he delivers to all his detractors
 

"Salman is extraordinary, looking young & fresh. His dances are electrifying.
One word, he's brilliant..."


Reviewed By Komal Nahta

Starring: Salman Khan and Bhumika Chawla
Director: Satish Kaushik
Producer: Orion Pictures
Music: Himesh Reshammiya

Orion Pictures & MAD Films’ Tere Naam (UA) is a love story with a difference. A loafer, Radhe Mohan (Salman Khan), whiles away his time by bullying people and generally doing nothing constructive for a living even after passing out from college. He falls in love with a temple priest’s simple and innocent daughter,Nirjara (Bhoomika Chawla), but the latter can’t even dream of marrying him. She, however, changes her mind when she realises that although Radhe Mohan is a toughie on the exterior, he has a heart of gold. However, it is now destiny that comes in the way of the two lovers.

Radhe Mohan loses his memory, thanks to the local goons who almost kill him in a one-to-one fight. He lands in an ashram for the mentally ill but the chances of his recovery are very slim. Meanwhile, Nirjara is forced by her father to give her consent for marriage with a boy of his (father’s) choice. However, one fine day, Radhe Mohan regains his lost memory. He runs away from the ashram but there’s a big shock for him in store when he reaches home. After his shock, there’s a bigger shock for the audience in the cinema halls.

Remake of the Tamil super-hit Sethu, the film has a very good and engrossing first half with Indian sentiments galore. Excellent dialogue (Jainendra Jain),hit music (Himesh Reshammiya) and the unpredictability of the story in general make the pre-interval portion very entertaining. Actually, the best part of the entire film is its unpredictable nature. This keeps the audience totally engrossed because they are oftentimes unable to imagine what’s going to happen.

However, the film takes a dramatic turn in the second half. The light scenes now give way to a crude and grim atmosphere of the ashram in which the patients are tied in chains. But before the ashram portion, the dilemma of the family and friends of Radhe Mohan about whether to admit him to the ashram or not has been portrayed extraordinarily. It is bound to draw tears from the cinegoers’ eyes. The scenes in the ashram, however, may be found to be repulsive by the weak-hearted, especially the womenfolk.

But, perhaps, the biggest drawback of the film is the running away of RadheMohan from the ashram. Why doesn’t he simply convey to the authorities that he has regained his memory? Had he done that, there would’ve been no need to run the way he does. Of course, the running heightens the drama but it is not too convincing. The scenes showing his inability to make himself heard by the authorities look very unbelievable.

The climax would meet with mixed reaction. While one section of the audience would like it, there would be another which would find it unsuitable for the hero’s image. Nevertheless, those who find the climax acceptable would be moved to tears.

The film has a fair dose of light moments and some heart-wrenching emotions. The music, of course, is a major asset. The well-written songs (Sameer) have been set to tunes (Himesh Reshammiya) that would make the audience sway, if not dance in the halls. There are several clapworthy scenes and songs too.

Salman Khan does an extraordinary job. He looks young and fresh and plays to the gallery. His dances are electrifying. In one word, he is brilliant! His hairstyle may become a fashion statement of the youth if the film clicks. Bhoomika Chawla suits the character beautifully and exudes the purity and simplicity that was needed. She may lack glamour but for roles of the kind she plays in this film, she is appropriate.

Sachin Khedekar, as Salman’s brother, is first-rate. Savita Prabhune very ably complements Khedekar, in the role of his emotional wife. Sarfaraz Khan, as Salman’s friend Aslam, is just too fantastic. The boy is an extraordinary actor and evokes tears from the audience’s eyes in the scene in which he revolts against Sachin Khedekar and again in the climax. Ravi Kissen is excellent. Radhika Chowdhary leaves a mark. Saurabh Dubey, as Bhoomika’s father, is very effective. Anang Desai lends good support. Guest Mahima Chaudhry provides sex appeal and star value in her lovely dance number. Mahendra Verma and the rest give able support.

Satish Kaushik’s direction is praiseworthy. Although the second half is crude and grim, he has added a strong emotional base to the crudity, which saves the second half from becoming a tedious experience. The best part of his direction is the way in which he infuses the scenes with very Indian sentiments. He has also extracted excellent work from his cast.

Himesh Reshammiya is no less a hero of the film. His songs are a delight to hear. Song picturisations (Chinni Prakash, Ganesh Acharya and Rekha Chinni Prakash) are superb. The ‘Odhni’ song, especially, is extraordinary and its placement is just too good. It will draw whistles and applause in the cinemas. The other melodious songs are the title track, ‘O jaana o jaana’, ‘Tumse milna’, ‘Lagan lagi’ (penned by Jalees Sherwani and composed by Sajid Wajid) and ‘Yeh pyar mein kyun’. Action scenes (Mahendra Verma) are effective but too crude.Camerawork (S. Sriram) is first-rate. Other technical aspects are of a good standard.

On the whole, Tere Naam may have a more class-appealing second half but thebeautiful first half, hit music and superb initial as also its reasonable price will make it a good earner for all concerned.

radiosargam
 

By Taran Adarsh

To remake a blockbuster is indeed an arduous task. And if the same subject has been attempted thrice in the past and has found appreciation all the three times, getting it right the fourth time is nothing short of a challenge. Besides living up to the mammoth expectations and maintaining the essence of the original[s], the director also carries the responsibility of seeing to it that his interpretation matches that of the predecessors in terms of presentation and most importantly, the box-office outcome.

Satish Kaushik's TERE NAAM lives up to the hype and expectations, besides doing full justice to the three originals -- SETHU [Tamil], SESHU [Telugu] and HUCCHA [Kannada].

Radhe Mohan [Salman Khan] is a loafer, but a gem at heart. He meets Nirjara [Bhoomika Chawla], the daughter of a priest, who has just joined the city college. Radhe falls for her simplicity and innocence and dreams of marrying her. Radhe declares his feelings to her, but Nirjara refuses him outright. Unknowingly, Radhe saves Nirjara's elder sister from an adversity. Rameshwar [Ravi Kissen], Nirjara's fiancé, informs her of this incident. But before Nirjara can express her love to Radhe, something drastic happens...
 

Though Bollywood has churned out love stories since time immemorial, the story of TERE NAAM is genuinely 'hatke' since it doesn't follow the standard rules of a romantic film.

There is no parental opposition, nor is there a rich versus poor angle, nor does it look at two different religions or caste differences, also there is no third lover popping up from somewhere.

TERE NAAM primarily revolves around two simple characters. Two believable characters. The reasons that bring them together are realistic and the conflict that ensues is equally convincing. This factor is its USP.

 Yet, TERE NAAM is a complex love story...

Director Satish Kaushik opens the cards at the very outset: The hero is a vagabond, the girl is a simpleton. But opposites don't attract in this case !

The clash between the hero and heroine builds up convincingly and the change of events at the interval point catches you unaware.

But the pace slackens in the post-interval portions. The second half starts off brilliantly, the confrontation between the hero and heroine is amongst the best sequences of the enterprise and the pace is maintained right till the hero lands up in the hospital.

But the moment the focus shifts to the traditional shelter for the mentally imbalanced, the pace slackens. Fortunately, the last half-an-hour gathers momentum yet again and the sequence of events, right till the finale, are heart-rending.

 A small section of the audience may not take to the ending whole-heartedly, mainly because it's not a conventionally joyous culmination. But tragic ends have gone down very well with cinegoers, in turn translating into grand box-office victories. Instances: MUGHAL-E-AZAM, EK DUUJE KE LIYE and QAYAMAT SEQAYAMAT TAK.

Director Satish Kaushik is in complete form this time around. To accept the directorial reins of a love story that defies the stereotype, is indeed a challenge. But the way Satish has treated the subject speaks volumes of his aptitude.

He is most comfortable in dramatic sequences, in fact that has always been his forte. In this film too, he executes the dramatic portions with panache, besides extracting a stupendous performance from Salman Khan. Even the climax is so effective that your heart goes out to the lovers!

Himesh Reshammiya's music may not boast of chartbusting hits, but gels well with the mood of the film. The 'Odhni' number is the pick of the lot. However, the placement of a few songs in the first half could've been better thought of.

Cinematography [S. Sriram] is excellent. Dialogues [Jainendra Jain] are natural to the core. Action sequences [Mahendra Verma] are raw and appealing.

And now to the performances! Salman Khan is exceptional in a role that fits him to the T. He breathes fire in sequences that demand uneasiness. But beneath the tough exterior lies a vulnerable person and this facet in particular comes
to the fore in the latter reels. His emotional outbursts are splendid, and making him break down on several occasions is another human aspect that director Satish Kaushik explores -- tough men also cry!

Bhoomika Chawla reminds you of Bhagyashree. Her simple, humble, traditionally Indian character should go down very well with the viewers. Her performance is first-rate.

Ravi Kissen is excellent. The sequence with Bhoomika prior to the interval is well handled by the actor. Sarfaraz Khan is another actor who catches your attention with a flawless performance. Sachin Khedekar [brother], Savita Prabhune [sister-in-law] and Anang Desai [doctor] lend decent support. Mahima Chaudhary's dance number is quite good.

On the whole, TERE NAAM is rich in emotions -- a fact that would go in its favour completely. The hype surrounding the film has resulted in a strong opening and coupled with its merits, it should prove an earner for its investors. Business in the Hindi belt should prove to be the best, considering the backdrop of the film [North India].

For lovers of Hindi cinema, says 'yes' to TERE NAAM.

Rating:- * * *.

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