- Anupama Chopra, Consulting Editor, Films

Saawariya is based on a short story by Dostoevsky called White Nights. At the end of the story, the narrator asks: A whole moment of happiness! Is that too little for the whole of a man’s life?”

This is the question director Sanjay Leela Bhansali is attempting to answer in his operatic fairy tale. White Nights, which was earlier adapted for film by legendary directors Luchino Visconti and Robert Bresson, is set in St Petersburg.

Sanjay sets Saawariya in a nocturnal Neverland, which has Venetian canals, giant Buddha face statues, lots of perfectly timed rain showers and even snowfall. This town seems to be in imminent danger of being art-directed to death.

Here over four nights, a tender, unrequited love story plays out between Ranbir Raj, a dreamy musician played by Ranbir Raj Kapoor and Sakina, a passionate girl, played by Sonam Kapoor.

Ranbir falls deeply in love with Sakina but she has already pledged her love to a man she barely knew. He left a year ago with the promise that he would come back on Id to get her.

Despite his fervent ardor, Ranbir tries to help Sakina through her vacillations and eventually lets her go with a compassion and nobility that is far beyond his years.

Sanjay Bhansali is a master of the cinematic medium. He makes movies with a passion for perfection and detail. Saawariya has a painstakingly crafted poetry.

Every shot has been framed and designed down to the last neon sign flickering in the night. Ravi K Chandran’s lush cinematography amplifies Bhansali’s supremely stylized vision.

But after an hour, the film’s overwhelming beauty starts to tire instead of inspire.

Saawariya is all mood, textures, quivering close-ups and fevered feelings but little actually happens. The pacing is so slow that even at two hours, the film feels long.

Music composer Monty Sharma has created some memorable melodies but nine songs is one too many. Eventually, the overblown emotions, billowing costumes, unending blue-green hues and sheer artificiality become claustrophobic.

With almost no plot to speak of, Saawariya relies heavily on its actors who do superbly well. Sanjay has molded star kids into stars.

Ranbir Raj Kapoor, aptly named after his grandfather, is absolute magic. He holds excruciatingly long scenes with astounding dexterity.

His puppy dog eyes register quicksilver emotions. The frame sparkles when he’s it in. Sonam has the lesser part but she bites into it. She has an old-world beauty that is accentuated with beautifully designed costumes and jewelry.

Saawariya is a meditation on love. Sanjay Bhasali is an ambitious and fearless director. Here he is performing a tight rope act without a safety net. He doesn’t pull it off but his failure has more grace than most people’s successes.