You
need to watch Filmistaan this week not just because there is no other movie
even close to this affable yet poignant, humorous yet dramatic, filmy yet real
national award winning movie in any of the cinema’s but because if you don’t…
It wont be there next week!!
This
lovely 2 hour feature shall not get its due because you chose to let it pass on
account of it having no big stars, not much hype and no hit songs to its
credit.
Writer-
Director Nitin Kakkar narrates a very simple concept of an Indian who gets
mistakenly kidnapped by the Taliban and what happens thereafter- through a
series of real yet entertaining characters and moments. At the end, sending us
home with a subtle message which we are all aware of but keep forgetting time
& again!
The
hero of the film apart from its very simple yet engaging concept is the films
“Casting”.
The
sincerity with which Sharib Hashmi plays the struggling Bollywood actor and
movie fanatic- Sunny Arora- makes Sunny extremely adorable and believable. Inaamulhaq’s
innocence and energy- as the Pakistani local Aftaab who sells pirated Bollywood movies- is infectious.
The
performances by Kumud Mishra, Gopal Dutt and every single actor that makes an
appearance in the film are so supremely flawless and natural that they feel
effortless!!
To
add to this wonderful ensemble cast there are some brilliant moments that one
cannot help but get lost in - 1) The debate over Sahid Afridi Vs Sachin
Tendulkar 2) The entire Pakistani village gathering to watch Maine Pyaar
Kiya!! Or 3) An old Hakim (Habib Aazmi)
reminiscing his Chola Kulcha eating Amritsar days pre partition are some of the few gems that are beautifully sprinkled over the narrative.
With
the drama coming from the film’s setting- Indian caught in Pakistan, the humor
coming from its characters and the emotion coming from the reality that on
either side of the border we are the same people, who love and miss the same
things makes Filmistaan a must have experience this week.
Watch
it if you intend to watch anything this week.
