One of the better family films, especially for children, is what 'Makdee' is. Bharadwaj's commendable directorial debut, where he also composed the score and wrote the screenplay is a tremendous achievement. He tells the story with a simplicity and sincerity that would appeal to children. His inspiration from Grimm's tales is clear (one that particularly comes to mind is 'Hansel and Gretel') but he wonderfully makes 'Makdee' his own work. The playful cinematography adds to the larger than life quality of the story. The viewer is glued to the screen straight from the opening scene. The songs are cheerful, tense and add to the narrative (thanks to Gulzar's fine lyrics), especially the song that reflects Munni's fear of the spider-witch and her memory of her mother.
While some may find that the performances are over-the-top, it's very appropriate for a children's film because they love loud characters. But, this is not to say that adults won't enjoy it. Shweta Prasad fits the role, especially as Munni. Certainly one of the better young actresses and her following films e.g. 'Iqbal' only prove that she's getting better. Alaap Mazgaonkar lends adequate and hilarious support. Makrand Deshpande is suitably loud and hyper. And, a barely recognizable Shabana Azmi is terrific. Not only does she look completely different, she acts that way and stands among one of the memorable villains. However, on the downside, the extras look uninvolved.
Even though I felt the supernatural element fades away towards the end, the film does deliver a message. 'Makdee' is one of the finest children's films to emerge from Indian cinema. If only parents took there children to watch this instead of trash like 'Krrish' or rip-offs like 'Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii', one could have expected more such sensible children's film from the creative filmmakers of the country. Hats off to Bharadwaj (more so for making a risky attempt) and his cast and crew.
