A woman in a man?s world is considered to be progressive?..
But, a man in a woman?s world is ???. pathetic???.
The film starts with the above mentioned two lines written brightly on the dark screen. And that which followed told what and how it?s all about.
The Story: It?s the story of Latha, who is caught between her own aspirations and her parents? expectations. Her fiancé says, ?It makes me very happy watching you dance on stage, but when I turn around, I see many ogling at you, which in turn makes me uncomfortable?. Her mother says, ?You should become all I couldn?t?. Latha is right in between these two people.
It?s the story of Ratna Devi, a talented classical dancer, whose ambitious dream fails to come true. And she does everything possible to make a great dancer out of her daughter, Latha. She is caught in between her ambition to become a great dancer and making her husband come in terms with the society (society laughs at a man dancing a woman?s craft). Though she fails (not completely) in both, she is better than her husband in terms of progressing?. (because she went ahead in a man?s world).
But, it?s more the story of Jayraj, the pathetic husband of a progressing wife. He is caught between his love for classical dance and his realization: It?s the craft of the prostitutes which he is interested in. (Indian classical dance was termed as open prostitution). To get narrower, it?s the craft of women. And a man who learns it is no longer considered a man. His frustration over his wife?s small successes makes him more pathetic. He is sad that his dream of dancing in sync with wife on stage is a dream, he can never even dream of.
The Film: Being originally made as a play (by Mahesh Datani), this film completely relies on the performances of the lead actors.
Anoushka Shankar played Latha with all her elegance glowing in her dance. Her dance had the respect for her parents. She carried her parents? wishes in the beautiful craft.
Shobana played Ratna Devi to perfection. She showed the grace in her dance and acting prowess in playing her complex character. She is obsessed with the art as a dancer; she is responsible as a wife; she is caring as well as imposing, as a mother.
Arif Zakaria played Jayraj brilliantly. He showed, in his dance and character, what ?Dance (ing) Like a Man? is all about.
Pamela Rooks seems to have taken most of the script from the original play by Mahesh Datani. It was her decent job as a director.
I love to watch the dance; whether it?s Hrithik in ?Lakshya? or Shobana (and also Anoushka and Arif) in ?Dance Like a Man?. The choreography by Shobana was awesome. I do not know or understand much of the Classical Dance, but I really enjoyed watching the three dancers perform in this film.
The Last Line: This is not at all an entertaining film, but it is surely thought - provoking and thought-enriching.