Hindi Film by Neeraj Ghaywan
Venue: PVR Saket
Date: 28 July, 2015

Masaan is a movie set against the backdrop of the spectacular Banaras. The two pivotal characters Devi (Richa Chadda) and Deepak (Vicky Kaushik) are stuck in the labyrinths of this centuries old city that supposedly symbolizes Hinduism. The film revolves around their struggles and the struggles of people around them – fathers, friends, love interests. Struggles that most of us in India have faced at various points in life. Both the characters have their own stories that run parallel with few connections in between. Finally they meet at the Sangam in Allahabad (“Sangam” mean union – the confluence of the rivers Ganga, Jamuna and Saraswati).

The film throws up some important hypocrisy that India still nurtures.

While the young generation has discovered new modes of socialising (epitomised by Facebook in the film), they are still subjected to medieval casteist bias.

The reputation of a family is always a sticky business. So much so, people are willing to go way beyond their means to bribe and kowtow to blackmail threats of corrupt police officers.

Sex between consenting adults is fraught with social stigma and a skewed sense of morality. Surprisingly this was resonated in the theatre where we watched this film.  In an upscale locality in the capital of India, an audience comprising of adults went into splits at shots of physical intimacy. It is a sad reflection of how, fifteen years into the twenty-first century, we Indians are sexually repressed and awkward about handling a natural act that engages everybody.

Almost all the actors fit their roles to the T. Sanjay Mishra, in his all too familiar role as the middle aged lower middle class man burdened by poverty as well as fear of notoriety is even better here. Kaushik as a young man from the low caste Dom community makes one forget that he may have any other background than his reel life. Pankaj Tripathy, in his small role as a ticket vendor at the Railway ticket window who is smitten by Devi, tugs at the heartstrings.

In fact the various layers in the film, all drawn from life, create a bridge between the characters and the audience. So much so that notwithstanding the clichés, the audience unwittingly travels on an emotional roller coaster during the course of a less than two hours film.

The film ends on a positive note, it ends with hope. And that is how life is. It’s hope that makes us face the daily grind, head-on, every day.

We wish this film was not squeezed between the populist Bajrangi Bhaijan / Bahubali. It deserves a way bigger release for the benefit of the film making team. And for the benefit of the audience.