I still remember(it was one year back) that after five unsuccessful attempts to get a ticket for five consecutive weeks, I managed to see this movie by booking the tickets 3 days in advance. You must be wondering which SRK blockbuster or Mallika Sherawat stripteaser this is. No, I am talking of a Marathi movie(or rather docudrama), Shwaas (Breath) which was the Indian entry for 2005 Oscars.
So, from when did docu-dramas come in vogue? It only suggests that the Indian cinegoer is slowly shedding his popcorn-khao-cinema-dekho-mastTimepass-karo attitude. It only suggests that our panel is getting the maturity to look beyond Bollywood for Oscar nominations. (Whether Paheli - India’s entry at the 2006 Oscars - is the best choice, is a different issue)
A grandpa takes his grandson to the city to get his eyes checked up, only to hear that he is suffering from a rare retinal cancer. Now, he is left with just two options. Either to get his grandson operated (that means his grandson loses his eyes), or not to get him operated (that means he loses his grandson). The movie is all about how his grandpa helps him come to terms with this inevitable anti-climax of a lifetime. The core of the movie are the basic human emotions shared between the grandpa-grandson, which can only be seen to be believed.
The characterization is just perfect. The confusion of a child whose only windows to the world are suddenly closed. The struggle of a rustic, tottering grandpa trying to get his tons of experience with life to get his mind and heart in its right place. A vivacious social-worker helping the rustic aliens adjust with the urban predators. A no-offences-money-please doctor helping them with a free surgery, and even taking up the responsiblity of communicating the eventualities to the child.
Debutant director, Sandeep Sawant speaks out to the silence of calamity, with his gripping screenplay (strong enough for a non-Marathi like me to watch it spellbound!). Apart from this, the film also has a few lighter (but heavy with emotion!) moments, taking cues from the insouciant urban society we are almost used to.
And needless to say, the movie never disorients itself into familiar Bollywood territory (aka “Kal-Aankhen-Ho-Naa-Ho” stereotypes ). Language is never a barrier for a true cinematic experience. I went there unequipped, got thoroughly engaged, and came back disturbed, only to realize what great cinema is all about.
Shwaas makes a humble beginning, and attempts to put Indian cinema back to where it originally belonged.
~ Vamsi Deepak Gadey (geeveedee@yahoo.com)
{ RATING: 9.5/10 }