Kushi - Romantic Tension
Thoughts On: Kushi (2001)
A boy and girl refuse to accept the fact that they're destined to be together.
A three hour tease of romance with explosions of action and violence, Kushi utilises its feisty characters to paint an eloquent picture of romance. In many ways, three hours of teasing and waiting as two fools clearly destined to be together bicker is a bit much. But the pay off in the end is more than a realisation of what is foretold as destined; is more than a final first kiss at a train station. Kushi pushes and stretches its ability to contrive romantic tension not to finally arrive at a cathartic union of its characters, but to give reason as to why a mad couple fight: their petty arguments are what unify them. We are then made to experience their prolonged suspension of emotional acceptance as to understand that, in many ways, to fight is to love. And such makes the idea of an old married couple with too many kids constantly bickering more sweet than bitter, which is certainly my favourite aspect of this film.
Tension is a key element of the romance genre in South Asian cinema; love is forever longed for, withheld and obstructed. But such is pretty much always the justification of the love itself. Kushi alludes to this by having a more common romantic plotline run through this narrative between the friends of our main characters. The friends our main characters support experience the typical love story: a father prevents his daughter from marrying the boy she really loves until his principles are used against him to cause him to change and accept the marriage. Funnily, our main characters are the obstruction in their own love story. Yet their self-sabotage illuminates the substance of their love; their romantic tension and fighting being the aspect of their relationship that binds them. And such is the humorous and charming reversal of the narrative: the romantic tension never goes away - it is the point of the romance - for it is the link that keeps them together; their amorous destiny you could say. Brought to life with some great musical sequences, prime turn-of-the-century dance moves and superb cinematography, Kushi is a fun ride indeed.
Thank you Anjali for your recommendations.
