There are small, sharp moments of observation, but nothing special enough to warrant this cast, many of whom give off a “let’s chip in and do this for a friend who’s making her first film” vibe.
Spoilers ahead…
What a cast Seema Pahwa has queued up for her directorial debut, Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi. Naseeruddin Shah. Supriya Pathak. Vinay Pathak. Vikrant Massey. Konkona Sen Sharma. Vineet Kumar. Manoj Pahwa. Parambrata Chatterjee. It’s like a telephone directory of the actors you love to watch, the actors you can trust, blindly, to elevate any part, of any size. The film is a dramedy, a throwback to films about large families, like Bawarchi or Teen Bahuraniyan. (You might even think of Hum Log, the television series that first brought Seema Pahwa to our attention.) But there’s a prickly undercurrent of dysfunction you didn’t find so easily (or at least, dealt too seriously with) in films of those times.
Take the daughter-in-law played by (a brilliant) Konkona, who’s remained an outsider. In an earlier era, she might have been painted a vamp. She might have been played by Bindu. Today, she’s just someone whose dreams haven’t worked out. The other women of the family bitch about her, but they don’t get her. They’re still living inside Bawarchi or Teen Bahuraniyan. There’s a great idea right there — about how complex people (or people with complexes) aren’t always understood by “simple” people who see everything in black and white. Sadly, the film is itself a simplistic affair. Its idea of a metaphor is an electrician who clambers up a pole and remarks: Sab taaren uljhi hui hain!
So yes, all wires are crossed in this family, which comes together after the death of its patriarch. There are small, sharp moments of observation, but nothing special enough to warrant this cast, many of whom give off a “let’s chip in and do this for a friend who’s making her first film” vibe. In an early scene, the patriarch, a musician, talks about the importance of finding the sur. It’s something Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi never finds, the perfect tone that would resonate with all these people, all their quirks, all the drama, all the comedy, all the theatrical contrivances, all the stabs at cinema. Despite the showy tracking shots, we’re left with the staticness of a stage play. Still, I don’t want to come down too hard on what’s obviously a labour of love. I didn’t hate the film, exactly. It’s just that, with the names involved, I wanted to walk away with more than just a shrug.
Copyright ©2020 Baradwaj Rangan. This article may not be reproduced in its entirety without permission. A link to this URL, instead, would be appreciated.
Sahir.
March 16, 2020
Is this streaming somewhere? I don’t think it was ever released and I missed it at MAMI.
Have really wanted to watch it for months!
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brangan
March 16, 2020
Sahir: I watched it at MAMI. They were supposed to release it soon after, but don’t know what happened.
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Anu Warrier
March 16, 2020
Oh…. I had hopes when I first read about it. Sorry to hear it isn’t what it could have been. Hope to catch it on streaming some time.
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brangan
January 1, 2021
This film is out now.
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ravenus1
January 1, 2021
I think I’ll wait for it to show up on streaming.
What is people’s experience at cinemas nowadays? I am wary of even 50% attendance because that’s still a lot of people in an enclosed space breathing recycled air for a couple of hours at a stretch.
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Sahir.
January 1, 2021
I actually really liked this film; I felt it was beautifully written and directed and performed. Truly a dream cast, and they all register. And so much to discuss! 🙂
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Sahir.
January 1, 2021
ravenus1: Please go the cinemas! There are nearly no people. I watched this film with my parents and a grand total of two others, who sat right across the hall from us. 50% is what is allowed, but it almost never even reaches 25%. Cinema halls are struggling, so I think if you’re healthy, definitely wear a mask, carry sanitiser and you’ll be OK.
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Anu Warrier
January 2, 2021
I’d great hopes for this one. Simply because the cast is like a master class in acting. I’ll still watch it if it ever shows up on Prime or Netflix.
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sanjay
January 12, 2021
There is some sort of overdose with this kind of cinema. This kind of cinema used to be a nice break from the big budgeted extravaganza but off late due to streaming platform there is an overdose of these kind of movies and esp the cast…..as if looking ugly and unkempt has become vogue.
Last 1 year not seen any standout riveting movie on any streaming platform and for the record Pankaj Tripathi may be the flavor of town but there is not one exciting acting bone in him or some kind of electric connection you have with few of these stars or actors like om puri and Irfan. Completely bland and one note and may be taking advantage of the simplicity laced trend on TV these days.
With restricted theatre going for at least for couple of years the charm and tamaasha of Indian movies as we know or grew up upon is now dead and buried. Even the mainstream cinema on streaming platform sucked big time and I could not sit through not even one with the latest being coolie no 1. Akshay’s fraud on and off screen was on full display with Laxmii Bomb. Less said about sadak 2 , dil Bechara , khali Peeli and numerous other. Sad times and fortunately social media is now my new entertainment portal.
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