Amu

I just went to screening locally as part of an Asian American Film festival. Amu was the opening movie for the festival. I liked the film a lot. Not your typical Indian movie by any means. After the movie they had Q&A with the director, producer, and lead actress. The discussion gave some neat insight regarding the movie. For example a lot of the filming / subject matter was done in fear of govt censorship. The version shown, as well as the one to be released later this fall in the US, is different than what those in India saw at the theater. For example in the scene with the widows discussing with Amu & Kabir the riots and how the government tolerated the violence, that the widows voices are left silent as Amu & Kabir sit in silence.

I was initially hesitant about watching Amu because movies with a backdrop of communal riots don't sit well with me. However, I had heard good things about the film and for that reason I also did not want to miss it.

Amu is a film about a young, adopted girl on a quest to find her birth parents. Kaju, played by Konkona Sen Sharma, lives in LA and is visiting India to be with her mother's family. During her visit she is also trying to get more information about her real parents, who she knows nothing about. The journey to find out her identity has her come across the characters played by Yashpal Sharma and Ankur Khanna, who help take her to each lead and finally to a point where she discovers her history. A history that is tied to the 1984 communal riots.

Amu is also about Kaju's relationship with her mother who is trying to keep the truth from her.

Shonali Bose does a fabulous job in telling the story and keeping the viewer glued to the screen. The cast was obviously selected very carefully. Konkona is completely believable as the young NRI. Brinda Karat as the mother puts in a wonderful performance, besides looking gorgeous! Ankur Khanna is perfect as the brooding, cynical Kabir, who gets exposed to a life he is completely unfamiliar with. Yashpal Sharma makes you laugh and makes you cry. The Bengali family as well as Kabir's parents are all people most Indians would have come across.

In conclusion all I have to say is that Amu rocks! It's a movie thats been made from the heart .... don't miss it.

I like "Amu the movie" tremendously. The movie has so many layers that it is difficult for me to pinpoint to a single reason for its impact. As a passive observer of compelling and authentic portrayal of a journey of a Girl finding her true identity, I had suspended my reality and enjoyed the experience. As an agitated follower of the injustice highlighted in the movie, I was incensed by the implication of tacit support . Yet as an observer of slow revelation of plot line, I was enthralled. The acting, the directing, the photography and the editing/music were totally endearing. The fact that there some people in the audience crying and others sat in silence after the movie had finished, showed that the movie had indeed touched all of us. It is hard to believe that Shonali is a first time director, who captured on celluloid a slice of life that was actually manufactured. Konkona Sen was spectacular but Lovleen Mishra, Brinda Karat, Chaiti Ghosh, Ashish Ghosh, Aparna Roy were all fantastic.

Finally, I would like to say, that in South Africa a unique experiment is taking place, the Truth and Reconciliation Commision. In India too, the wounds of destructive, ethnic cleansing violence go deep and are tremendously complex. It is indeed a bold step of shining the light on a dark period of recent history but "Amu the Movie" , is the step is taken in the right direction.

I look in great anticipation to others all over the world following in this film's footsteps and making more creative and more bold choices as Shonali has done in "Amu". I also look forward to many more viewers enjoying the tremendous journey of "Amu".

Berkeley

First of all it's a delight to watch such unselfconscious acting and to hear English (and Hindi, Bengali) spoken so naturally. First time director Shobnali Bose elicits wonderful performances from most of her cast - many of whom are 'non-actors'. The script, too, is deliciously funny in parts, which off-sets well with the powerful and serious message underlying the film. The locations chosen capture the actual places represented so that the whole has the verisimilitude of a documentary film, even while the spectator is drawn into the lives of the characters whose stories are being told. All in all a very satisfying film, and a great debut.

I have to say, I was initially not looking forward to this movie based on the lose plot line I had seen, but having seen in, I'm glad I did. While there were a few rough spots, there were a lot of redeeming qualities for this which makes this movie worth seeing.

For example, the historical look at an assassination in is done very indirectly by examining the life of one family. There is suspense, some interesting flashbacks, as well as some plot development which moves on reasonably nicely, with fairly good acting.

I think there were definitely points in the acting or possibly editing that would smooth out the transitions and increase the believability of the movie, but it is fairly easy to look beyond this after the plot line pulls you in.

The courage in telling this story is what is the most important part of this movie. This was good general knowledge information for me on a slice of Indian history as well as an entertaining tale on surrounding an important historical event.