Goldfish

Goldfish (2023) : Movie Review -

Goldfish Review: Pushpan Kripalani's Goldfish features Kalki Koechlin and Deepti Naval in the lead roles. Hypothetically based on Goldfish's short memory term, this family drama meticulously delves into a strained relationship between a daughter and her mother, but somewhere it loses the stream and its basic metaphor. Memory loss diseases have often been used to describe family issues, and they are relatable too; it's just that we have had enough of them. Sunil Sukathankar and Suchitra Bhave made a classic like "Astu" that held my breath for an hour at least, and Hemant Rao had his own tale of Alzheimer's, "Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu," in Kannada cinema. I won't go back to Mohanlal's Thanmathra or Ronald Colman's "Random Harvest," where memory loss destroys a sweet relationship, because that has nothing to do with strained relationships or any human metaphors. The basic idea of Goldfish could have worked some other way, but here it's terribly slow. The disturbing emotional state of both characters brings some effectiveness, while the rest of the show seems stretched and useless.

Goldfish takes you into a UK house where Anamika (Kalki Koechlin) is living with her mother, Sadhana (Deepti Naval). Sadhana is suffering from dementia, and Anamika is quite fed up with her disease. She wants to go out and make a career but is tied down at home by her mother's sensitive disease. Anamika has a past grudge against her mother, while Sadhana has some secrets that would end this years-long revenge drama at once. But will they both speak up and share their inner thoughts with each other? Is it really that difficult to speak to your own mother or your own daughter about your own life? Some modern idealistic mindset is at its core, as Goldfish dives into an ocean of difficult and salty water.

Goldfish may have a strong subject, but it has an equally weak screenplay. The blackouts were supposed to work as punctuation for this narration, but they end up making a full stop and breaking down the entire structure. 98% of the dialogues are in English since the film is set in the UK, which also keeps it thousands of miles away from the Indian masses. But my question is, What has it got for classes? A modern take on relationships and unspoken problems? That's certainly not enough. And why was that Goldfish's metaphor used hardly twice, and that too in not-so-important scenes? There is nothing wrong with using such metaphors, but it's awfully wrong if you can't explore them to their full potential. Goldfish couldn't go past a certain level and seemed like a narrow-visioned film.

Goldfish has two stars and full marks to both of them for carrying the entire film on their shoulders. Kalki Koechlin's make-up goes wrong sometimes as she looks too milky white (sort of Dracula level), or is she so milky already? I don't know. It might have been a problem if she had to speak Hindi dialogues, but thankfully, she has only English dialogues. It comes out fluently and looks perfect. With solid experience in cinema and stage over the years, Deepti Naval hardly goes wrong. Though her character needed a little push from sentiments and a conversational dilemma. Using classicals makes things poetic for her, even though they hardly last for a short while. Rajit Kapoor's extended cameo is worth it. He is the only important character aside from the two leading ladies. Gordon Warnecke, Shanaya Rafaat, Ravin Ganatra, and Bharti Patel shine in unimportant roles that come and go without adding anything to the main context of the narrative.

Goldfish attempts to build a narrative that has to look like an artistic film. It pulls enough strings on the positive side, but not fully enough. As Sadhana says, "I know I am not well. But I am well enough." Well enough for what? I'd say, "Kasam Se. It could have been better". Rest assured, it's a well-shot film with beautiful locations and a dreamy, simple house. The idea of referring to the period of the pandemic could have added a nice conflict, but it's left incomplete and imperfect. Considering a 100-minute runtime, I think I shouldn't have felt sleepy, but I did. Now that's my taunt to the editor. Or was it a fault of storytelling that tries to be absorbing but becomes boring instead? Pushan Kripalani must be familiar with the Marathi and Kannada films I mentioned above, so I expect him to bring some novelty to the storyline. Why be attached to decade-old filmmaking just because you are dealing with a subject that's somewhat old? Have a tight screenplay and a few intellectual arguments, and you have a safer film in your hands. Let's not wait for silence to speak volumes of your subtle drama; let's use some words-English words-and get hooked into your world. It's an OTT world, man. We are way ahead of those silence-driven and full-of-pauses family dramas now. More than Sadhana, it's Kripalani who suffers from dementia as a filmmaker in 2023. I wish he had realised it, and Goldfish would have swum flawlessly. For now, it's an average affair at best.

RATING - 5/10*

What happens when your estranged, abusive parent grows old and needs your help? This is what the daughter, played by Kalki Koechlin, has to confront when she is called home by her mother's friend. Though she hasn't spoken to her mother (Deepti Naval) in years, she is suddenly responsible for her. Her dementia makes her vulnerable, and the daughter has to grapple with the fact she must put her in a nursing home, despite her unexpected emotional responses and sense of guilt. As she sees her mother's health decline, her responsibility for her act as a catalyst for many moments of personal reckoning in this thought-provoking story.

Goldfish does what few movies have done - it places us in the mind of the unloved daughter forced to live with a parent with dementia.

It will be disturbing for many who choose to watch, particularly those with a lived experience of dementia. But there is no doubt of how impactful it is - it is a beautifully crafted film with powerful performances that will stay with you.

Saw Goldfish at IndieMeme screening in Austin it was a moving experience . Goldfish has a very relevant & layered script and great performances from all the cast. They are very natural.

Direction is superb and a bit undestated and so is cinematography for a reason. It is more like capturing slice of life in a household and around it with another silent person observing.

There's no background music, but a killer soundtrack, and watch out for the last song.

Went with my 14 year old daughter, and despite the intricate and a bit heavy storyline, she understood and enjoyed it thoroughly, which was a very pleasant surprise.

Goldfish is a thoughtful exploration of memory, identity, and familial responsibility.

Pushan Kripalani approaches the story with patience, letting emotions unfold naturally. The cinematography favors close, intimate shots that emphasize the characters' internal struggles, while the muted color palette reflects the film's introspective mood.

Deepti Naval portrays Sadhana with quiet intensity, capturing the unpredictability of memory loss. Kalki Koechlin delivers a restrained but deeply expressive performance, allowing frustration, guilt, and tenderness to coexist. The supporting cast, including Rajit Kapur and Bharti Patel, enriches the film's world with understated yet significant roles.

By successfully avoiding dramatic twists, this nuanced and deeply felt portrait of love and responsibility, explores the challenges of being a care-giver within an equation that's heavy with the weight of unresolved emotional baggage.

The movie was captivating, the actors did a fabulous job. Although the topic was known and it could get dreary, the storyline and the director made the story unfold in a manner that kept me engaged the entire time. The complex and estranged relationship between the mom and daughter and how dementia creeps into it and shapes their relation is very interesting.

Kudos to a script well written and well chosen. Kudos to Amit Saxena for his first production and taking it to this level of success. I personally think that the movie deserves some awards for cinematography and Deepti Naval for her amazing acting.