What Is The Story About?
Disney Plus Hotstar original movie ‘Gulmohar’ centres on the Batra family that bickers and banters like every other family; fights, but also makes up in no time. One fine day, the routine life of the Batras is upended when matriarch Kusum Batra (Sharmila Tagore) announces that she’s moving to Pondicherry forever, after selling their family home ‘Gulmohar Villa’ to real estate developers. But there is another, far more earth-shattering truth awaiting Arun (Manoj Bajpayee), his wife Indu (Simran), and their son Aditya (Suraj Sharma).
Performances?
Sharmila Tagore makes a spectacular comeback to acting, with a complex, author-backed role in Gulmohar. The veteran actress is simply superb as a mother with secrets to hide. Her assured and sophisticated performance belies the fact of her decade-long absence from acting. Manoj Bajpayee delivers yet another terrific performance – the man’s the true jewel in the crown of Indian cinema. His powerful screen presence — the camera simply loves him, warts and all — and nuanced performance make Gulmohar a Manoj Bajpayee show all the way.
Simran is equally good as Arun’s hassled wife Indu, who patiently puts up with the whims and fancies of the unconventional Batra family. She puts in an understated performance, conveying more with her expressions than with words. Suraj Sharma is excellent as Aditya, who’s struggling as much with startup troubles as with the massive chip on his shoulder. Amol Palekar is superb in his short but sharp role of Sudhakar Batra, who unwittingly becomes the villain of the piece.
The supporting cast is the highlight of ‘Gulmohar’. Utsavi Jha as Arun’s daughter Amrita, Anurag Arora as Kamal, Chandan Roy as Param, Jatin Goswami as Jeetu, and the impressive Shanty Balachandran as Reshma – each brings a nuanced subtlety and unique complexity to their individual characters. It’s a tremendous ensemble cast, which adds a distinctive flavour to the narrative.
Analysis?
From the first frame itself, Gulmohar gets busy unravelling the unique quirks of each member of the Batra family. As the narrative dives into the chaos of the images unfolding on the screen in breathless succession, the viewer instantly knows where each character comes from – within the first few minutes itself. As singer Talat Aziz (in a cute cameo) belts out a velvety number in his dulcet voice, we discover tiny but significant details of the motley bunch; and just like that, within minutes, we know that beneath the cheerful facade of the Batras lies hurt, pain and impending disaster.
Writer – director Rahul V. Chittella excels in breathing life into the complex characters in as short a time as possible — not just the Batra family, but also the myriad members of their house staff – driver Jeetu, handyman Param, and cook, Reshma. He also deftly takes the story forward with engaging interactions between the characters, weaving a sensitive tale of family ties that do not depend upon blood ties to be meaningful. Along the way, he imbues the narrative with subtle shades – of religious diversity and inclusivity, of greedy commercialism, of beautiful relationships between husband and wife, mother and son, and so many more.
The story of Gulmohar may be an oft-told one, but in Rahul V. Chittella’s skillful hands, it becomes a different entity altogether – complex, layered, deeply moving, yet very entertaining. The storytelling moves you on so many levels, not to say, leaves you dewy-eyed several times in the movie.
The subplots that flit between the primary plot are engaging in an organic kind of way. Each frame of the film feels natural, with none of it feeling forced, out of place or striking a false note. The first half of the film passes by in a breeze. The second half feels overly grave in comparison, but we soon get used to the change in tenor, and quickly fall in line with the slower pace and serious tone.
The outstanding cast of the film elevates the film to masterpiece level – each member of the cast is excellent, with none striking a discordant note in the entire runtime – yes, even Amol Palekar as the crabby Sudhakar.
To sum it up, Gulmohar is that rare film that will appeal to viewers of every demographic. It is certain to go down in the annals of film history as a movie that is honest, devoid of artifice and almost perfect in every aspect.
Music And Other Departments?
The mellow music of Gulmohar aptly complements the narrative and storytelling of the film. The songs are pleasing to hear, though not particularly memorable. Director of photography Eeshit Narain captures the urgency of the story well. His camerawork is busy and frenetic in the chaotic first half of the film; and leisurely and languorous in the slow-paced gravitas of the second half. Editor Tanupriya Sharma’s work is flawless, though the runtime needed to be cut to a crisper length to remain taut throughout.
Highlights?
The superb cast
The excellent performances
The sensitive storytelling
The skillful direction
Drawbacks?
Runtime could have been shorter
Did I like it?
Yes
Do I recommend it?
Yes
Gulmohar Movie Review by Binged Bureau
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