Kshay

Many filmmakers find their own space of innovation, get their hands on a rolling camera with no backing of (mainstream) producers and ends up with an independent product. Mostly such films are results of first time director's self indulgence with cinema, their obsession with cinema. And this is where they find major disconnect with the masses. Indie cinemas never serves you slick entertainment that this country is obsessed with. Instead it acts as a mirror reflecting the fact that cinema is an art and not business.

Kshay (Corrode) is one such successful attempt, where technology is no barrier and a digital camera (though too zoomed in at many places) does the resourceful with a B/W template set for the narrative of a tale of extreme obsessions.

Chhaya (Rasika Duggal) is an endeared housewife and has an unusual taste for arts while her husband Arvind (Alekh Sangal) struggles to earn a living. Chhaya finds herself fascinated by an unfinished sculpted idol of Lakshmi, goddess of wealth, that costs Rs. 15,000 and desires to have it at her home. Soon, this desire turns into obsession. She doesn't miss any view of Lakshmi photos in the surroundings that just fuels her obsession. All during this you see a brilliant character development of Chhaya who sometimes envisages the roop of Lakshmi as herself, or even the poor sculptor in a suave image near herself only to offer a solution to meet her extreme obsession which has led her to self-destruction (read corrosion). Her emotions on screen has been depicted very artistically and poetically to set the narrative forward and serve you with food for thought. Very poignant.

Amidst the narration, path has been built for multiple cameos. One such is Shruti (Nikita Anand), Chhaya's neighbor who plays the role very calmly and strikes a composing balance between being scared and concern. As the plot is build upon the character of Chhaya, Rasika Duggal manages to do the nuance with one of the best on-screen performance you can see this year. Also Sangal as Arvind is convincing in each scene of his.

Each sequence runs for a time more than seemingly required that you can wonder if this is an extended short-film. But each slack has been filled with a haunting background score and surreal sound design that keeps you engaged and let you squirm under your seat. And with such sequence, each moment on the screen grips you and flashes in your mind even after you've left the auditorium. Be it a SAW like horrifying scene where Chhaya is imagined to cut her hand raw with knife (though this scene doesn't end up being a horror porn like SAW series) or any unkempt thought-pondering scene (it's full of it)!

I watched Kshay at the Chicago film festival last year. This is best from Indian cinema in recent times. A great script by a débutant director makes me wonder whether if its the end to Bollywood non sensical pot boilers. If the answer is yes, I am a happy movie buff. Rasika Duggal as Chaya and Alekh Sangal as Arvind are talented and crafty in their work. The scenes where Chaya and Arvind are together as so real to a middle class household and resemble so many couples I know of living in mumbai. It takes courage and immense potential for a débutant to make a movie like "KSHAY'.Its gripping till the very end and the gradual disintegration of lead characters is like never seem before. The movie left me thinking for days whether I am obsessed about something. A must watch and highly recommended to those who choose to watch quality film making by passion

Kshay could be on the top fifteen movie list of 2012 and I mean it because it is a movie with intricacy, subject and pure reality.

To start with, director Karan has did a splendid job with camera work, screenplay and little tipsy-turvy type of narration which pleases as well as intrigues the audience. Even though the film starts of slow, you don't get bored as the Indian topic of obsession with god is typical. But the movie is not at all typical.

At a time where Bollywood masala films are raking the moolah in, independent films like Kshay & Gattu are being successful in entertaining the crowd. Lead actors are totally exceptional and have done a wonderful job. Indeed the whole cast depict actual lifestyle and its elements. I was awestruck at how Mumbai was fantastically depicted.

Music is another thing about this movie which continued to gel with the narration aptly till the credits roll.

Bottom line is that Kshay is recommendable and must-watch if you are real cinema lover!

WATCH OUT FOR: the background score!

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES

Language: Mild | Sex: No | Foreplay: Mild | Violence: Strong | Alcohol: No | Smoking: No