A complex theme but a toppling plot, arid and prosaic characterization, bleak climax and unnecessary glamor describes Nishabd.
The movie neither had a proper plot, nor a convincing story to handle subtle psychological issues-- An old man falling in love with a young adolescent girl (his own daughter’s friend- a girl who is of his own daughter’s age). The question: Why does this happen and the answer "the want of youthfulness" seems not only ridiculous but lack of understanding.
Lets see what the movie could have been - I mean the storyline...
Why does the old man falls in love with a young girl ? -- Alienation, his relationship with his immediate kith and kins, their attitude and feeling towards the person concerned, his profession and his mindset- Now of someone who loves photography and poetry, generalizing, say someone so intimate with art will first of all never lack youthfulness, for artists are always young----that being ruled out what can be the reason and how should the plot have moved.
The want of appreciation of art , which the character (of revathy) completely lacked, an artist can never tolerate his close companion watching saas - bahu serial with some seriousness -- there is the first rift, which the movie failed to bring into prominence (it finds only a meager mention by the girl jia)--- So what the character of the old man is in search of is someone with whom he can share the joy and delight he feels, of someone who can understand not him but his art .
Jia - the character of the adolescent so miserably understood and portrayed -- except for the little part of poetry recitation--- otherwise - the character lacks charm, maturity and deeper insight , for an old man of that caliber (of someone whose photographs are published in international journals) to be attracted.
Music fails to embody the subconscious because - the issue (of an old man in need of carnal love ) is from a deep subconscious impulse.
On the whole Nishabd was very disappointing