简介：TheIvory-Merchantduoareknownfortheirluxurious-lookingfilms,thecameraoftencaressingeachfish-forkwiththesameloveitdisplaysfortheprotagonist.It'ssomewhatrefreshingheretoseeMerchantwithoutIvory.Merchant'scameradisplaysthesamelovefordetailthattheIvory-Merchantduo'sdoes,exceptthatitismuchgrittier,caressingtheprotagonist'svomitwiththesameattentionthatitbestowsuponhisexquisiteJamewaarshawl.IrefertoShashiKapoorastheprotagonist,becausehestealstheroleawayfromOmPuri.OmPuriplaysthetimidDeven,acollegeprofessorbentoninterviewinghisidol,theformerlygrandbutnow-alcoholicUrdupoet,Nur.ShashiKapoorisperfectastheobese,alcoholic,henpecked,decayingpoetbecausehisownappearanceencapsulatesthisdecay.ThosewhodonotrecognizehimastheheroinscoresofBollywoodfilmsorinmanyearlyIvory-Merchantproductionswillmissthesubtletyofthiscinematicreference,becauseKapoor'sownphysicaldecayperfectlyencapsulatesthethemeofdecaythatiscentraltothefilm.ShabanaAzmiisascompetentasever,bringingahintoffeminismtohercharacter'splagiarismofherhusband'swork,aswellashighlightingtheinherentlymasculinistnatureofthepoetrythatconfinesawoman'sroletotheobjectofdesireandnothingelse.…