Nagraj Manjule’s first film’Fandry’ released in 2014 and took the international film festival circuit by storm. As expected, speculation was rife around his next directorial. The director took his time and two years later we have’Sairat’, a film that is worth every bit of the two-year wait.
Unlike’Fandry’, ’Sairat’ doesn’t delve entirely on caste discrimination but it has the issue at heart. With the story revolving around two youngsters belonging to different socio-economical strata of the society, the discrimination angle is there. The difference here is; there’s more of hurt pride and egos that goes into making’Sairat’ what it is.
Love stories tend to bank on resistance from the lovers’ families. Parshya(Akash) and Archi’s(Rinku) story does that too. The film though, is not about mushy dialogues and gaudy songs. It is more about innocence, rebellion and a never-say-die spirit. Coming from a rich and influential family, there’s no one who dares to even look at Archi, except Parshya. The son of fisherman is smitten by Archi and doesn’t miss a chance to catch a glimpse of her. As they start interacting, Archi too falls for him. Unfortunately for the couple, Archi’s father comes to know of the brewing romance and things turn topsy-turvy. Parshya and Archi battle odds to be together but will their love triumph the strong opposition from Archi’s father? More importantly, will it stand the test of time?
’Sairat’ is not just a beautifully woven film; it also has elements of a mass entertainer. The brilliant music from Ajay-Atul, camera work, and a graph that encompasses happiness and sadness, only add to the quality. With a running time of almost three hours, one might think it to be a tedious watch. It could’ve been slightly crisper but throughout, the film has a powerful grasp on its subject. The viewer doesn’t get bored because something or the other keeps happening.
Another strong point of the film is that it doesn’t rely on known faces. Akash and Rinku are debutantes but their performance is at par with seasoned actors. The mass identifies with Parshya and Archi and this is one of the prime reasons that the film stand to gain with. Tanaji provides comic relief and he does it well. Nagraj Manjule’s cameo is memorable.