The opening shot of the movie makes us aware that there is a paraplegic patient being helped by a woman who gets him out of bed, brushes his teeth, feeds him breakfast and puts him on his mobile chair. Paraplegia implies that the patient has a completely paralyzed lower half including his two legs and in the lead character Ethan Mascarenhas‘s (Hrithik) case both his hands are paralyzed too. The patient cannot sense anything which includes passing of the stool too, so s/he is helpless and has to be alive at the expense of someone else taking care of her/him. The only thing that can be done is talking, and that is it.
The woman who is more than a nurse to Ethan as she does practically everything that is expected as well as not expected out of her is played by the ravishing Aishwarya and her character is named Sofia D’Souza. Going through a bad marriage and an abusive one at that she silently has a lot of respect and liking for Ethan as she has been turning his words into actions for fourteen years. And when Ethan – who is now a radio jockey – decides to file a petition in the court for mercy killing naturally it hit her bad. But he is stern on his stand as he does not want himself and others around him to suffer. And given his condition we are forced to believe him.
The petition is filed through his lawyer friend Devyani (Shernaz) who also is taken aback but goes ahead for the sake of his friendship. Two other important characters in Ethan’s life are his doctor Nayak (Suhel) and his student Omar (Aditya). Ethan is a magician and the story juggles between his present and his past where we are taken through his glory days. Omar comes and stays with Ethan with an earnest intention to learn magic and to be like his idol. In between there is love blooming between Ethan and Sofia which although is strongly felt is not made obvious. The film has well-timed unpredictable jokes as well as strong emotional content and scenes that will make you to think.
For a newcomer, Aditya is promising to say the least and he seems very comfortable already. All the other characters have been played to the tee and are seen equally affected by Ethan‘s condition as we are. Monikangana plays Estella, Ethan‘s lover in his heydays and is present only for a few minutes here and there. Cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee has made Goa look even more full of life. Sanjay Leela Bhansali who is also the music director here has a knack for that grand presentation. His movies never follow the routine and we are made to live through the joys, troubles, tribulations, feelings and emotions of Ethan.
The concept of euthanasia is vital in the story and there are many things about this subject that we come to know through Guzaarish. I cannot imagine this movie without the hunk Hrithik and now a complete performer Aishwarya. Another masterpiece about a magician brought to life by Mr. Bhansali – who is a magician himself.
Rating : 4/5
