A heart tugging story with a well meant message, it revolves around an elderly widow, a little orphaned girl and the unbreakable bonding between the two.
Cast – Neena Gupta, Aqsa Siddiqui, Rajeshwar Khanna, Rudrani Chhetri, Aslam Sheikh
Director – Vikas Khanna, Anuj Tyagi
Writers – Vikas Khanna, Vibhav Srivastav
Adapted from – The Last Colors by Vikas Khanna
Plot
Vivacious adorable orphan “Chhutki“ lives on the banks of Banaras, survives with gusto, finding happiness in her destitute life with her friend Chintu and a caring eunuch Anarkali.
Noor (Neena) is an elderly lonely widow living a deprived and dreary life in an ashram.
Both being the victims of social biases and apathy, they forge an unlikely bond and friendship.
Noor’s dreary life re-discovers the beauty of loving, caring and being loved. She rediscovers smiles and a zest for life. Chhutki finds love and care unexperienced in life.
But dark clouds of misogyny, oppression and moral corruption are looming over them.
Watch what destiny has in store for them and the story about the triumph of human spirit.
Analysis
Besides the fact that the film has its heart in the right place with its beautiful central message about the victory of human spirit and the need for inclusion, freedom and respect/rights for all, the film is an absolute beauty in all its aspects like story, characters, dialogues, performances, real rustic locations and music.
Despite the pathetic state of affairs that it portrays, it tries to keep the tone light with the help of Chhutki’s vivaciousness and the adorable friendship between her and Noor.
The plight of the homeless kids, their instinct for survival and their liveliness pulls at your heart strings. Noor’s character highlights the plight of the widows and the oppressive age old traditions clamping their basic human rights.
But Chhutki makes sure that you constantly smile and chuckle at her innocent dialogues and absolutely wins your heart. Their bonding is a delight to watch.
The dialogues are a big charm with their colloquial dialect and earthy tone. The kids’ banters are absolutely hilarious. Some of the subtle dialogues conveyed a bigger message or feeling.
Not only were real locations used but I also noticed that the detailing of the interiors was marvellously realistic.
I loved the background score and the earthy music.
Performances
Neena Gupta is someone I have always adored heartily. She effortlessly renders a flawless Noor with all her natural nuances as an ace actress.
Aqsa Siddiqui is an absolute delight and the star of the film.
I also loved little Rajeshwar Khanna and Rudrani Chhetri.
Together the cast makes the film all the more loveable.
The film is a beautiful piece of cinema well crafted with sensitive storytelling, loveable characters, superb performances and an engrossing story. A must watch to say the least.
For those who love content based cinema, it’s an absolute gem.