Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities

Meenaxi: Tale of 3 Cities
Directed by	M.F. Husain
Produced by	Reima Husain
Written by	Owais Husain M.F. Husain
Starring	Tabu Kunal Kapoor Raghuvir Yadav
Music by	A. R. Rahman
Cinematography	Santosh Sivan
Editing by	Sreekar Prasad
Release date(s)	2 April 2004 (2004-04-02)
Language	Hindi, Urdu

Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities (or Meenaxi) is a 2004 Hindi film directed by M.F. Husain and starring Tabu, Kunal Kapoor and Raghuvir Yadav. The film centers on Hyderabad novelist Nawab, (Yadav), who is suffering from writers block. After five years and no stories, Nawab comes across an unconventional muse, Meenaxi (Tabu). The three cities referred to in the title of the film are , Hyderabad, Jaisalmer and Prague. The film features an acclaimed score and soundtrack by A.R.Rahman.

It is semi-autobiographical in some respects. There are allusions to Husain's own experiences with his muse, Madhuri Dixit, with whom he made his previous film, Gaja Gamini (2000).^[1]

Synopsis

Nawab, a popular Hyderabadi novelist, is suffering from a classic case of writer's block. Five years have passed, and stories of substance seem to have dried up. Then, almost providentially, Nawab comes across a young woman named Meenaxi. She's enigmatic and individualistic - and not quite willing to perform the part of a passive muse. But that doesn't deter a rejuvenated Nawab from giving her different personae - she can be the mysterious perfume trader of Hyderabad, the exotic desert bloom of Jaisalmer, the orphaned Maria of Prague. Inexorably, she consolidates her command over the novelist. She dismisses his renewed attempts at writing as insubstantial and hackneyed, plunging him into a state of deeper despair. She is scathingly critical about his story and is amused by one of his characters, the lovelorn and awkward Kaameshwar. Finally, as Nawab strives on a new page all over again, Meenaxi comments that perhaps the book is in vain. In any case, it is much too late. The writer must survive and live, if he can, without her support, inspiration and criticism.^[2]

Cast

• Tabu - Meenaxi
• Kunal Kapoor - Kameshwar Mathur
• Raghuvir Yadav - Nawab
• Nadira Babbar - Khala / Masi

Crew

• Art Direction: Sharmishta Roy
• Costume Design: Raisa Husain, Reima Husain, Ashley Rebello
• Choreography: Vaibhavi Merchant, Remo, Pappu-Maalu, Ileana Citaristi
• Line Producer: Chetan Motiwalla

Withdrawal of movie

The movie was withdrawn from the theatres in the same week as its launch after some Muslim Ulemas protested against it. The reason was that the song Noor-Un-Ala from the movie used Qur'an verses honoring the God as its lyrics which was used in honoring the lead actress.

Soundtrack

Main article: Meenaxi (Soundtrack)

Awards

• 2005: Screen Awards
  • Best Cinematography: Santosh Sivan
• 2005: Zee Cine Awards
  • Best Art Direction: Sharmishta Roy
  • Best Cinematography: Santosh Sivan ^[3]

Notes

1. ^ Cinematic vision The Hindu, 21 March 2004.
2. ^ "Plot summary for Meenaxi: Tale of 3 Cities". http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0366761/plotsummary. 
3. ^ Awards IMDB.

External links

• Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities at the Internet Movie Database