X: Past is Present Hindi Movie
Movies are a way of living what you cannot do in real life, confesses K, the protagonist of X Past Is Present. Ironically yet, most of his life and stories [of films he makes as a filmmaker] are shaped by his personal life. And evidently there is a lot that he has witnessed in terms of stories. Almost too much.
X Past is Present narrates a story about a chance meeting between K and a stranger girl at a party following which K goes through a recollection of all his previous encounters with the female gender. So we have ten different stories each helping build the character that K is.
This could have possibly been a seamless screenplay. But X Past is Present is all but seamless. The reason is also because of the idea of making the film. X is an experiment of sorts. What differentiates X from the rest of the theatrical experiences that are doled out for us every week is that this is directed by 11 directors - a few of them well known film critics and journalists. What this does to the film is add an uneven texture, attractive at the thought but not quite after execution. It is like that picture of the landscape which is rather too flat in comparison to the real life view.
As we are taken through one relationship after other establishing K we are also forced to accept point of views of 11 directors, each dealing with their own segment their way. But more disturbing is the fact that the film tires you out by the time you reach the fifth relationship - as we realize the number of stories were number quite required. Why 11 directors then? Maybe it was just the desire to create some record of sorts - 11 directors directing one story! God knows!
X Past is Present could have obviously been a far better film if it was helmed by one person instead. A single person's vision. Likewise the music is a hotchpotch, never really complementing the stories.
Nevertheless it cannot be denied that there is plenty that actually demands a watch in the film. Apart from the performances by the lead actor - Rajat Kapoor shining through, Anshuman Jha impresses and the girls manage to hold their own in their respective segments - there is some very impressive work with the camera that works on the male gaze. Most of the stories do not feature the male protagonist at all, fixating the camera entirely on the girl and her expressions as K sees them.
X Past is Present is an experiment at best and should be watched as one; if at all. It must have not been an easy film to make for sure!
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