mishu_mausam

Dahan is an intense study of the choices we make in trying circumstances. It unfolds a myriad of issues, emotions, perspectives through which different people view and react to a single incident --- a molestation of a woman at the metro station. There are a lot of people directly or indirectly associated with this: the molested woman (Rituparna), her husband, their families; the woman who saves her (Indrani), her boyfriend, her colleagues, her family; the molester, his girlfriend, their families. They all have something to say, and they often come from very different viewpoints. The movie takes us through all these peripheral views, and shows how they all are important, and have something new and often, unexpected to offer.

An exquisitely powerful script and a sensitive narration makes for an impactful watch. Shown primarily through the eyes of two key women: Rituparna and Indrani, the movie touches on an amazing number of themes – the practicality-idealism dichotomy; social pressures and stigma; our ability to accept the worst in others; our ability to accept the circumstances; compromises and its limits; vested interests of the powerful; jealousy; economic disparity in marriage; the gullibility of people; the healing power of time… In spite of offering so much, it does not become a diffused amalgam, rather, brings out a completeness of sorts within a coherent core. I have not come across any other movie that offers this detailed examination of a single chain of events.

A few women steal the show. Indrani, in her role as the fiercely powerful, strong-willed and righteous school teacher, gets us in awe of the character. Equally adept is Rituparna in her portrayal of the confused, agreeable, and stuck-between-two-worlds wife. Mamata in her small role as Rituparna's sister-in-law casts a spell of warmth and affection as a house-wife who has reconciled with pain. But, to me, the stand out character in the movie is that of Indrani's grandmother, Suchitra Mitra. Her strong character is brought out by her tough stances on almost everything. She offers interesting insights throughout the movie, for example, she says 'how can the autowallah who returned my money be celebrated simply because he decided not to do the wrong thing'… Towards the end we also get to see a more human side of her when she talks of her past. The male characters, on the other hand, are all passable. The central character, Abhishek, Rituparna's husband, is average at best.

Rituparno Ghosh's movie making has always connected with me. This is one of his early movies and we can see the genius in the making, but still, the movie and narration is not as refined and polished as some of his later work. The husband's reaction accusing wife of potential adultery, the courtroom scenes are good by commercial standards, but needed more subtlety for this extremely realistic genre. In spite of these, the gripping screenplay gets us hooked and alongside, questions our own moral, social, idealistic and practical takes on the circumstances.

Dahan would stay with me for some time. A must watch for any lover of good cinema.

When the movie started I thought to myself -- oh! this is going to be another cliché on Indian society through the eyes of a foreigner. Well!! I was so wrong. Is it a cliché? Yes!! But a cliché only in the select traditional dance circles. For the rest of the audience the movie opens up the whole unseen world of the practitioners of Indian classical art-forms living in today's world.

The story, at a high level, is about a less popular bharatanatyam dancer couple and their daughter who is just about to have her arangetram (first public performance, after she is considered ready to perform by the guru). But the storyline that gradually unfolds touches on a multitude of issues in the area. At one level there are more standard themes like traditional minded father, wife more talented than the husband. With these the movie also brings forth themes more unique to this area -- the devadasi tradition, what does it mean for a man to be in a field often inhabited by women, politics of classical arts, conflicts between raising kids and pursuing dance, dreaming big for one's children especially by less successful parents, etc.

Besides the novelty of themes the other highlight of the movie is its screenplay. After a long time we are reminded of the parallel cinema-ish screenplay of the 80s where the characters are real and their conversations are real. The interpersonal relationships between father and son, father in law and daughter in law, daughter and her parents, would be husband and wife, etc. are all touched on with sensitivity and form an integral part of the story. Also, the brutal honesty of some of the statements stay. Comments like 'A woman in a man's field is progressive, a man in a woman's field is pathetic' or 'You are even jealous of your daughter', etc. leave a mark and give you food for thought till long after the movie is finished.

Shobhana has acted and danced brilliantly. Arif has acted well. The daughter and to-be-groom, Anoushka Shankar and Samir Soni, have played their roles well. They look like a very cute couple too :). Anoushka's American accent, however, did not seem apt in the context of the movie.

The direction and cinematography were average. But the movie carries and carries powerfully on the shoulders of the theme and screenplay and is a must-see for all people who are looking either for realistic movies or for people who are interested in getting an appreciation of the classical Indian arts (particularly dance) in the modern setup.

'Nandita tells me that flowers bloom in spring. But it is when the flowers bloom, there is spring'. 'Developing closeness is relationship is beautiful when it happens through an unpredictable path'. 'Words are transient, silence is eternal'.

It is one-liners such as these and the several, absolutely beautiful, moments between various characters that will stay with you. This is a movie that explores the beauty of relationships. It is a movie that explores the sensitivity or lack of it in people. It is a movie that explores the process of striking a chord between individuals and the chord becomes tighter with time when the frequencies match or lets say resonate!

The storyline doesn't do justice to the primary ethos of the movie. The end is somewhat abrupt and unexpected. Some initial setting up of characters is probably unnecessary. Some relationships could be even better explored. But all said and done, the film does a remarkable job at its core strength - in depicting resonance between people.

The film has very carefully kept the moral and ethical issues out due to which one is able to focus on the pure emotion. And the film is full of it. Not the emotion in the run-of-the-mill Bollywood film. Instead, an emotion that is honest, pure, touching, possibly one that will stay for sometime.

The actors have suited their roles well. Especially, Raima Sen has been very expressive in her different moods and moments. Strongly recommended for those who like movies about human relationships.