Dhanak - film review

'Dhanak' as in Rainbow (not sure in which language), is a tug at your heart tale of two precocious kids in Rajasthan (a western frontier state of India) roaming in the desert in search of a unicorn. Not really but close. The girl protagonist is an elder sister to a young brother who has gone blind at an early age. She is on a naively innocent but pure of heart mission to find sight for her sibling before he turns nine years old. And that too with help from a famous Bollywood movie star. Or so she dreams.

Whilst they have their playful and angry moments in the movie, the kids who have lost their parents in an accident and live with their uncle in the desert of Rajasthan are inseparable. The older girl actor plays her role with a natural, easy going manner while the younger brother at times looks like he is trying hard. But overall amazing piece of acting on the big screen at a young age.

The director, one Mr. Kukunoor, is an engineer by training from the southern state of India, that traditionally churns out IT consultants but here we see a refreshingly different spin from the mind of a genius.

The movie as a whole is clearly breaks the Bollywood mold, both in its simplicity and honesty as well as the subject matter but perhaps an hour too long for my taste.

Cinematography is also noteworthy with the vibrantly colorful scenes and the use of various characters to meld the fantastical tale together. But there are several spots during the journey (literal and artistic) that I could have done without.

Singing or background music, a must have formula in the Hindi film world is timed well, is adequate and sounds good.

All in all a film about hope and undying love. Good job.

Comments

On the go(zay masta) in Japan again

Cool cat the Japanese are Tokyo at dusk My second visit to this land of the rising sun after almost a decade. Back then clearly I was wet behind the ears product manager and likely didn’t pay attention to all (efficient) things Japanese. But today I did and of course continue to be impressed. It is as much the obvious stuff like on time travel that is both clean and comfortable and all that which makes it possible. The impressive landmark and landscapes that these humans have put together despite their cramped (or because of it) surroundings and precarious geological conditions could amaze a novice architect among us. But it’s also the little things that someone had to think about which have a phenomenal impact on day to day lives that make the Japanese stand apart. Below are few random examples- 1. Providing a very fine machined wooden toothpick in every packet of wooden chopsticks. The said chapsticks are simply set on the To Go counter of any food vendor/ convenience store wher...

Presumptive Society

Today's world is hyper connected. I am not so sure what it means but you hear it a lot. It is probably hyper but not sure how connected it is. Sugar (fermented or not) is available in many ways than before and so getting hyper is easy. It is probably more a threat than cocaine since it is sold legally. And what is this connected stuff? Most people I encounter seem disconnected from reality. So going back to this assumption that we are connected there are subtle and no so subtle instances of how brands and companies and middle men try to portray someone - A linkedin profile for somebody working for X years at a place advertises to the connected network that so and so is CELEBRATING X years @ Such and Such Inc. Do we know if (s)he is celebrating or cringing? Perhaps a better way to portray will be - So and So LASTED X years @ such & such inc. Then it exhorts the readership to go ahead and congratulate them for this lasting effe...

The Central State aka MP

Narmada river and site of Omkareshwar Indore Rajwada or palace of the Lady Holkar Somewhat geographically centered in India is the hot landscape of MADHYA PRADESH. A region I had a faint memory of visiting as a young lad eons ago. Now in my (along with my best half) quest to get to know lands far and wide I got an opportunity to visit Indore city and surrounding areas in MP. It begins with an evening visit to a bustling old market selling native snacks both savory and sweet. It is the realm of jewelers who run night time street side restaurants once they close their primary operations at dusk. Think of it as desi style block party that I am told goes into wee hours of the morning. My impression was it is worth one visit. The humid and hot ambience along with crush of humanity doesn’t make for a pleasant dining experience but the sheer variety of foods sort of makes up for it. From piping hot coconut filled fritters to oodles of milk based sweet confections, I gorged on item...

Brown Motion

Search This Blog