Release Date

24 March, 2006

Genre

Psychological Drama

Star Cast

Saif Ali Khan, Naseeruddin Shah, Dimple Kapadia, Boman Irani, Simone Singh, Honey Chhaya.

Plotline
Dinshaw Sethna (Naseeruddin Shah) is a doped-up retired sculptor with a promiscuous wife, Katy (Dimple Kapadia), living in a neglected bungalow in the hills of Panchgani. Into this curious set-up enters Cyrus Mistry (Saif Ali Khan), supposedly there to assist Dinshaw with his work. Playing along with the flirtatious Katy, Cyrus embeds himself into the household. He starts shuttling back and forth between Panchgani and the suburbs of Mumbai, where the rest of the Sethna family lives. The story seems to be going nowhere until a couple of murders shake things up. Being Cyrus, a dark comedy, is essentially a look at a dysfunctional Parsi family through the eyes of a young man who is not what he seems to be.

Favorite Quote
Cyrus Mistry: You know how to play chess, Mr. Sethna?

Fardounjee Sethna: Used to. I wasn't a Grandmaster or anything. But, saala, my father told me one thing about life from this game. He used to say, "Always remember, son. Once the game is over, the King and the Pawn go back into the same box".

Behind The Scenes

The movie was originally titled Akoori, which is a Parsi side dish of scrambled eggs. The title was supposed to reflect the “scrambled” Sethna family. Thankfully, they chose Being Cyrus. On second thoughts, the title uncannily reminds me of Being John Malkovich. Maybe Akoori would have been better.

Xpert Opinion
Alright, so I liked the movie. A lot of people thought it was slow and story didn’t seem to be going anywhere. My friend even whispered to me in the movie theatre, “Yaar, yeh kya picture hai?” I liked watching his jaw drop when we reached the end of the movie.

Saif Ali Khan, of the running-around-trees-songs and the typical Bollywood moves, shocked me. I had no idea that he could act. And I hadn’t a faintest clue that his expressions could be so well modulated. Of course, Naseeruddin Shah played the perfect Parsi pot-hooked man. And Boman Irani’s acting skills are well chronicled. Dimple, in spite of criticism about her acting, looked good to me. She was, after all, playing the part of the insecure, trashy, irritable woman. These types of women overact. (How well I know that!)

However, it’s the direction of the movie that leaves you spellbound. Homi Adajania has taken the dark, raw story and turned it into a masterpiece filled with evocative visuals and a sense of freshness.

XpertMeter