One thing you’ll surely say to yourself after watching Water-“Kaash iss film ko Oscar milta..!" Water, is without a shred of doubt, one of the best qualitative cinema Indian film industry has ever produced. It has a controversial story carried out by a mature filmmaker with appropriate direction. It touches your heart and moves you completely.
The story of the movie: The movie is set in the year 1938 in Varanasi. Madhumati (Manorama) runs a ‘vidhwashram’ (Home for the Widows). But this ashram was also like a prostitute den-as Madhumati used to pimp out the widows to the upper class, with the help of a eunuch Gulabi (Raghuvir Yadav), so that money keeps flowing in the ashram. The movie starts showing Chuyia (Sarala) becomes a widow. She is tonsured, given white clothes to wear and is admitted to Madhumati’s vidhwashram. In the ashram, she befriends Kalyani (Lisa Ray), who was another widow. Kalyani, once comes across Narayan (John Abraham) on the banks of the Ganges. Narayan was a strict follower of Gandhiji and he instantly falls in love with Kalyani. Kalyani, too, starts getting feelings for Narayan. But Madhumati and other widows protest against their pure love. According to them, a widow can never re-marry and if she does, she would go to hell. What will Kalyani do? Will she remain in the ashram and suffer the exploitation of Madhumati and Indian society? Or will she marry Narayan, for a new and better life?
Water moves slowly and it describes each event in the story in a very acceptable and appropriate manner. Though it is made in a simple way, it touches your heart completely. There are several scenes in the movie, which moves and shakes you completely. For instance, the first scene of the movie- Chuyia is told she has become a widow and Chuyia doesn’t even knew that she was married. Another scene, which needs special mention-Chuyia asking Shakuntala (Seema Biswas)-“Aadmi-vidhwa ka ghar kahan hai?” This scene should get the Best Scene award!
Another reason why water succeeds is that the writer, while writing the story, has taken ample time in giving a proper character sketch to each chraracter in the movie. Each character (esp. widows in the movie) look real and are very different from each other.
The last 15 minutes of the movie is extremely unpredictable and gives you a shock. Also the last scene of the movie was very nice and the movie ends in a proper manner.
I couldn’t find any flaw, except one-the location. The place where the movie is shot (Sri Lanka) is beautiful, no doubt, but it does not look like a town on the banks of Ganges. Deepa Mehta should have shot the movie at Wai, if it was possible for her.
Each actor in the movie has done a marvelous job.
John Abraham gives one of the finest performances of his career! His entry scene was very nice, and right from that scene till the end, he was fabulous. He carries out his part in such a nice manner, that you just fall in love with his character, Narayan! Fabulous work, John!
Lisa Ray also does a great job. Though she didn’t like an Indian widow (!!), she tries her best to be like an Indian woman and she almost succeeds too! Seema Biswas is an actor to watch. She gives a power-packed performance, especially in the climax.
Sarala, who played the role of Chuyia, gives an outstanding performance. She has done such a great job that it cannot be expressed! Raghuvir Yadav proves that he can do any type of role. He looks completely unrecognized in this movie and really does a great job.
Vinay Pathak as Ravindra portrays his part perfectly. Waheeda Rehman as Narayan’s mother does a great job. Kulbhushan Kharbanda as Sadananda leaves a strong impact, even though he has a small role. Same for Gerson da Cunha (as Seth Dwarkanath, Narayan’s father). Mohan Jhangiani as Mahatma Gandhi does a superb job.
Mychael Danna’s background music suits the mood of the movie. Giles Nuttgens does a great job as a cinematographer. The lensman captures the scenes in a perfect manner. Pradip Redij’s art direction does a brilliant job, especially in the railway station scene. A R Rahman’s music is as usual melodious. Songs were unnecessary, but though they don’t hamper the pace of the movie. The best among them is ‘Aayo Re’.
Deepa Mehta’s direction is wonderful! She has carried out the scenes in a very nice way. She has also done a great job as a storywriter.
Some of the best scenes of the movie:
The scene where Chuyia is taken to the ‘vidhwashram’
John Abraham’s entry scene
The scene where Narayan and Kalyani meet for the first time
The scene where Kalyani comes to meet Narayan in the night
The scene where the old aged ‘bua’ dies
The last 15 mins of the movie
On the whole, Water is a must watch movie. It is Deepa Mehta’s another realistic and brilliant movie after ‘1947 Earth’. Performances, music, background score, art direction, direction-everything is perfect. Don’t miss it!
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