Film Critic: Goher Iqbal Punn
Producer: I Dream Productions
Director: Santosh Sivan
Cast: Purav Bhandare, Rahul Bose, Anupam Kher, Sarika, Victor Banerjee, Rahul Khanna, Sana Sheikh, Aunkush Dubey and Dheriya Sonecha.
I Dream Productions’ Tahaan is out for your viewing. Directed by Santosh Sivan, the film features Purav Bhandare, Rahul Bose, Anupam Kher, Sarika, Victor Banerjee, Rahul Khanna, Sana Sheikh, Aunkush Dubey and Dheriya Sonecha.
‘Tahaan’ is based against terrorism, which has scarred the beautiful valley of Kashmir. Although the film does not show the terrorism factor directly, but it depicts it from the view of an eight year old boy, ‘Tahaan’. He is on a mission to bring his pet donkey ‘Birbal’ back after the animal is sold to repay a loan.
Santosh Sivan borrows some inspiration from two of his earlier flicks – ‘Halo’ and ‘The Terrorist’ nonetheless it has its own originality. Sivan makes it very simple and heart-rending that you love to be with till the end reels. The story of the film, has fictitious characters against a very real plot, addresses a serious issue.
Tahaan (Purav Bhandare) is an eight year old boy who resides with his grandfather (Victor Banerjee), his mother (Sarika) and elder sister (Sana Shiekh) in the valley. Tahaan’s father has been missing for over three years and the whole family has a hope that the day will certainly come then he will return to home. But Tahaan’s grandfather dies without seeing his son. After his death, the family falls in trouble. The local money lender (Rahul Khanna) takes all the assets of the family including Tahaan’s donkey. When Tahaan comes to know that his donkey has been bought by an old merchant Subhan (Anupam Kher), he is distressed. This leads him to follow Subhan and he reaches Subhan’s town with the hope that he will get his donkey back from him. The little boy’s journey is laced with whopping danger. But this all does not affect the brave little boy who loves his donkey hugely. He is adamant to bring his donkey back. And somewhere along his mission, he gets enmeshed in a terrorist conspiracy.
The film’s central character Purav Bhandare is the one who fetches all the praises since he slips under the skin of the character very brilliantly. Your heart automatically adores him. Anupam Kher is a treat to watch. Victor Banerjee is superb. Sarika is luminous. Rahul Khanna enacts well and Rahul Bose does great as well.
On the whole, apart from the brilliant and commendable effort to bring the touching story on celluloid, Tahaan will chill a selected audience.
RS Rating: 3/5
- The reviewer is a popular and experienced Bollywood and Indian TV Analyst and laced with a good rapport with the swanky worlds of Hindi film industry and television fraternity. He also shares good rapport with the celebs of these abodes. You may write to him at the e-mails: goheriqbal@yahoo.co.uk, goher.punn@yahoo.com and bollywood.tv.analyst@gmail.com