Shwaas

On Republic day, I saw Shwaas. Shwaas is not a great movie. It qualifies for a good movie but only on the margins. I found it too melodramatic and manipulative at times. A movie is made to stir emotions but should never do that at the cost of gaining sympathy. Sympathy is a feeling of distance and I will never like to have that feeling for lively Paarsha. I don't know Marathi so probably the impact is lost somewhere. Before you think I am speaking bad of the movie, let me make one thing clear that Shwaas is way above the usual Indian movie. It has its moments when it stirs you, where you 'really' feel for Paarsha but only a few times. Perhaps I expected more!

Almost everyone will be knowing the story by now, Its a simple story about a boy, his grandpa, his illness and his journey to its dreadful consequences. The story has a great potential and personally I would have liked Shwaas to enter more into the skin of characters, their internal trauma than showing their external traumas and difficulties. Shwaas do try for the former but the major share is given to the latter.

The flashbacks of Paarshu in village are great in terms of cinematography, showing the contrast of condition and serving a little narrate of how the illness started but they are overdone to generate emotions, and at such places emotions seems to be drawn from you rather than allowing them to flow freely.

As far as characters are concerned real hero is spontaneous Ashwin Chitale as the suffering kid. Arun Nalawade as grandpa is good. I must really applaud Sandeep Kulkarni for essaying the cliched part of doctor with great conviction. but everything done here is brutally destroyed by Amruta Subhash, who played an over-sympathetic social/medical worker. I can't say it was for her or the part played but she was unbearable.

All said and done, I need to remember that I was seeing a movie by a first-timer, who pulled all courage to gather 60 lakhs and able to make a thoughtful movie that is better than almost all bollywood-multicrore projects. Hope with all experienced gained, Sandeep Sawant will better him soon.