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Anurag Basu’s Barfi, which has been nominated as India’s entry to the Oscars in the foreign film category, has been facing much flak following charges of plagiarism in some of its scenes. According to Supran Sen, secretary-general of the Film Federation of India, Barfi was selected out of 20 films to represent India at the Oscars. The film, which is the love story of a speech and hearing impaired boy Murphy (played by Ranbir Kapoor), is set in Darjeeling during the 1970s. Murphy falls in love with a Bengali girl but heartbreak follows. He, then, develops a bond with his autistic childhood friend Jhilmil (Priyanka Chopra). Barfi is an unabashedly sentimental film. Some of its more dramatic moments are teetered on the edge of cloying emotionalism. Its high-strung tone stems from a basic necessity of the script. A wide range of feelings are articulated through the minimal use of conventional tools of dialogues. For the actors, the film posed a monumental challenge as they performed mainly through gestures and body language. It is interesting to watch as Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra offer a singular performance. According to Priyanka, who depicts the anguish and agony of Jhilmil convincingly, the best location for an actor is her face and what happens on it. From Saawariya, Wake Up Sid, Rocket Singh to Rockstar, Ranbir has gone in for roles that challenge his acting prowess. In the role of a differently-abled person in Barfi, he has raised the bar for himself. People with special needs are often stereotyped in films but Barfi carefully avoids this. While he was assisting Sanjay Leela Bhansali during the making of Black, Ranbir had met Sangeeta Gala, who came back to help him with his research on Barfi. He spent a lot of time with the boys from Sanskardhan Vidyalaya in Goregaon. Generally, whenever young actors appear aged on the screen, most of them appear to be caricatures as their make-up and body-language do not look convincing. However, Ranbir looks fairly convincing in his four looks in the film, which range from the 1970s to the present day. It takes a moment to recognise Ranbir Kapoor when he comes on the screen as an old man. His gait, look and make-up do not betray his identity instantly. For someone, who is the heart throb of the nation, it does take courage to play an older character. Ranbir’s role in Barfi is his finest till date. Anurag Basu can be credited with extracting such a nuanced performance from Ranbir. The film suggests the possibility of a normal life for special people like Barfi and Jhilmil, if supported and loved by their families and those around them.
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