#RandomReviews — subtle messages from PIKU — more than a movie review ..
Watched PIKU yesterday —It is such a beautiful serious comedy genre movie; The story line is excellent — it flows awesomely well. Initially i was going to put a status update in FB about the movie; but i hold myself; Mr Sircar and his crew need more than just a status update and hence this post.
From the trailer, it appears to be a movie about a father having ‘motion problems’ and looks be a comedy genre. It hits up on many recipes for modern day social issues that we are facing.Writer Juhi has told the story very easily surrounding it around constipation problems of an aging father, but there is this scope of reading between the lines;
This picture on left about ‘visiting grandma’, i have got from one of whats-up forwards. Though all are playing with their mobiles, all of them had the courtesy to visit the grandma at least. There is a scene in which PIKU (deepika’s role) talks about why is she not getting married. She says — who ever marries her needs to adopt her 70 year old child as well (AB’s role), so far she did not find anyone who can take this challenge. Forget about your future spouse father, how many of us fine in adopting our 70 year old children.
There are lot number of 2 floored, 5–6 bedroom villas in Kerala (including mine) where the inhabitants are just old aged parents + servant(optional) + home nurse(optional) + dog(s). This is generally theme used in many tele-films in malayalam for onam and Xmas- children and grand children visiting old aged parents.
Another aspect that touched upon by the movie was specially about widowers; unlike widows widowers gets less attention; Just like ‘a man cannot a bring up a daughter’ without a mother, the movie talks about the reverse, the difficulties from daughter’s point of view. Juhi and Sircar could well portray the situation in details during this course of the movie.
I watched this movie at him with full house along with my kids. LOL — very happy and proud that my children recognized Irfan as Jurassic world actor.
Coming back — there is in scene in which Irfan shouts at AB — to stop the emotional black mailing. If you are away from the old aged parents, you often go through this emotional drama. I think we force parents to do this; in our quest of seeking more money and comfort we runs away and give less attention to aging parents. If we are not able to meet them regularly, we can always talk to them on a daily basis. Isn't it ?
The modern day style is — yes you need to be there back home when ‘ancestral property’ is being divided to all your siblings and cousins. As per stats available in ‘Bureau of Justice’ , there is a clear 7% of civil cases lodged in India is about property disputes and more than 90% of it is dispute between relatives on ‘ancestral property’. The movie touches up on this aspect of importance of retaining ancestral property; it is the DNA, the ‘Nadi moola‘ — root where your hereditary started. Irfan’s character asks — it is the root, what will happen if you just cut the roots of a tree?
In Bangalore, most of the apartment complexes are built as JV between a builder and land-owner. The land-owners, typically have no idea of what is real estate is — they do a JV with builder on their inherited ancestral land to build apartments and they claim 30% of flats in the apartment.
The movie is garnished with little more of stuff like — what it takes to run a taxi company in Delhi? …… … People perception about delhi-its? … Indian groom mentality about virginity of the bride? Maid servant’s bargaining power in Delhi ? Mutual respect factor in a driver-guest relation while taking a taxi? …Learn to drive liberates women..
Hats off to the legend AB, Irfan, Deepika and the entire crew and cast of PIKU to put up this show. ‘Juhi Chaturvedi’ deserves a big applause for the story line. Kamaljeet’s (cinematographer) camera has captured all the beautiful places in Kolkatha very nicely.
This is about a story of old aged couple staying in Delhi; all their children and grand children are in different parts of the world. Even at this old age, they fight on a regular basis and they are well known for this in the entire housing colony. Bhaskar calls it the way of expressing their love to each other — they had a legendary love marriage at their era. They both ran from home and got married in a near by temple on a Diwali day. Bhaskar says the whole India celebrates their marriage anniversary.
Laxmi gave the bad news to Bhaskar on an evening when he returned from his walk — all their children who agreed to come for Diwali is not coming this year;
Bhaskar: Why, whats the issue with Mannu?
Laxmi: Mannu’s daughter Srishti is has some performance for diwali celebration at his office, so he saying he can come after diwali.
Bhaskar: and Preet?
Laxmi: He saying, he going to Germany for some office meetings?.
Bhaskar: but he is in Australia? why is going to Germany? what about Sheetal?
Laxmi: As if you do not know, she 4th month pregnant?
Bhaskar: but they came when she was pregnant with Chintu; if i remember correctly it was her 5th month.
Laxmi: Chintu was first kid na; dont you know that we need to all the rituals for first kid. more over, hospital in HongKong was not good at all.
Bhaskar: is the hospitals changed suddenly good hah?.
Laxmi: Are you in your sense, Chintu is now 5 years old — in five years HongKong must have changed isnt it? Why dont you belive your children?
Bhaskar removed his snickers and kept in the shoe stand started moving towards bath room to freshen up.
Bhaskar could not sleep the full night — the second time ditching by his children kept him awake. He has already purchased things for Diwali celebration. He was looking at the fire crackers on the table while laying on his bed.
Next day morning after break fast, Bhaskar found to be searching something in the diary. Then he took some numbers from the diary book and started making calls in the balcony. Laxmi is watching him from the kitchen.
Bhaskar (on the call): Mannu? .. hello
Mannu(on the call): Yes papa, why call in the mid night?
Bhaskar (on the call): its little urgent and hence I called? .. this ISD, i will make it short,.. after tolerating your mother for 37 years, we have decided its enough — we should separate. I have decided to divorce her on this Diwali day.
Mannu(screaming): what? ..where is mamma i need to talk to her?
Bhaskar (on the call): she is not here, gone to Minni auty’s place .. but this is a mutual agreement petition .. she also acknowledges that its enough..
Mannu(on the call): <sighs> ..
Bhaskar (on the call): I am not getting your brother, I dont have his Germany number either, you may want to call him.. i am informing Sheetal.
10 mins later — all the 3 siblings talk each other and calls Bhaskar back.
Mannu(on the call): Papa, we three spoke about it .. Preet and Sheetal is also there in this call in conference … Its our decision that You will not take any extreme step unless we don't come there and talk to you on this.
Sheetal(on the call): Papa, have thought about where mama would be post divorce? ..is this really required?..
Bhaskar (on the call): Bittiya sheethu, how is chintu? …see about your mother, anyone of you can come take along with you .. or I can admit her into one of the old age homes here in delhi … btw, i am doing one more thing — i am changing my ‘will’ as well — post my death this property will be owned by one of this old age homes.
Preet(on the call): Papa, .. this Preet this side … You will not do anything until we come there...I will go back to Australia, pick up Nileena and Bibu and catching the next flight to Delhi.
Bhaskar (on the call): ok - all right then — do not waster further money on ISD call — come over lets talk face to face.
Bhaskar comes into the room and tells his wife — “Arre Laxmi madam — its going to be full house Diwali this time, all of your children are coming”.
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Thanks and Regards — Anu Sadasivan
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#RandomReviews is a hashtag that I started pursuing — voicing out my personal opinion about my experience with anything; It could be a book I read, a movie I watched or a car I had test-driven. This is has no intention to promote/demote the work/product, its just a personal view.
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