Dasvidaniya Review

 

Big budgets don’t make a good movie — good scripts do.

 

This review is going to be short. Dasvidaniya is brilliantly directed and the actors have done their job to the fullest.

 

If I had to hear the script without seeing the movie, my thoughts might have been a little different. But the good part about Dasvidaniya is that a very simple (mostly inspired) story has been executed exceptionally well.

 

It is simple yet touching. The protagonist (Vinay Pathak) gets to know that he is dying of stomach cancer and decides to make a list of the things he wants to do in the short time he has left. Eventually, he fulfills each and every one of his desires.

 

The movie has nothing that one hasn’t seen before, but it still manages to hold the viewers’ interests. The chemistry between the actors is noteworthy. Ranvir Shourie and Rajat Kapoor both have miniscule roles, but they leave a mark.

 

They, along with Sarita Joshi, have done justice to their respective characters. Neha Dhupia (who up until now I thought was quite a dud, where acting is concerned) has delivered a surprisingly noteworthy performance.

 

Overall, Dasvidaniya is worth a watch – it’s the complete entertainment package.

 

RishiO Meter – 3/5

 

 

 

Tingya Review – Marathi Movie

Tingya Review – ( Marathi Movie )

 

Tingya is dedicated to the 1,31,040 farmers who committed suicide between 1993 to 2006 – that is 9,360 a year, 780 a month and 26 a day. In this era of globalization who can be luckier than ‘we, the living’.

 

The movie starts off along these powerful lines. It is one of the few works that has revived a massive interest in Marathi Cinema and has made it to this year’s Oscars as an independent entry. It was also competing for the spot of official Indian entry in the Foreign Film category, but that honour eventually went to Taare Zameen Par.

 

The plot is carefully woven around the plight of farmers in Maharashtra, focusing on one family among many that face the brutal and harsh reality of survival. First-time director Mangesh Hadawale tells the touching story of the relationship between Tingya (the protagonist, a young boy) and his pet bull. The animal takes seriously ill, causing the family a lot of hardship as they can neither afford treatment for it nor buy a new one.

 

Tingya’s father decides to sell the bull to a butcher at the village fair, so that another one can be bought to replace it. This angers the young boy, who is deeply attached to it. Till the very end Tingya hopes for a miracle, so that the bull can remain his pet and not be sold to the butcher. But unfortunately, reality strikes hard and Tingya has to contend with the hardships of life.

 

The movie has been brilliantly shot in the deep farmlands of Maharashtra and is rumoured to have been made at the cost of a mere Rs 27 lakh. The director has taken a very bold step in choosing this script. The cinematography, contrary to some critics’ opinions, is extraordinary. Among the actors, Sunil Deo and Sharad Goekar stand out; they are absolutely fabulous. Technically, Tingya could have done a little better, but with a budget like that, hats off to you Mr. Mangesh. I have also heard that many producers refused to finance the movie after reading the script. My sympathy goes out to them, may their souls rest in peace.

 

The movie has won several national and international accolades and in my opinion deserved to represent Indian cinema at the Oscars. Most filmmakers who are inspired by real-life issues tend to lean more towards documentaries. But Tingya is not one of those — don’t miss it. And don’t forget it was competing with Taare Zameen Par, which had a budget of a whopping Rs 50 crore.

 

Rishio Review Meter – 4/5