UDAAN MOVIE REVIEW

Quick Take: Udaan is story-telling at it's best.


Director: Vikramaditya MotwaneCast: Rajat Barmecha, Ronit Roy, Ram Kapoor


After gaining international recognition at the Cannes Film Festival, Udaan should hopefully succeed in connecting with the Indian masses too. Vikramaditya Motwane should be more than proud about his directorial debut. It may not be a masterstroke but it's nearly there.


Udaan is a poignant coming of age tale of a teenager. Rohan (Rajat Barmecha) is a small-town boy who aspires to be a writer. Though friends support him, his father (Ronit Roy) forbids his son from following his passion and compels him to pursue engineering and work at their steel factory.


Udaan is a deceptively simple film. The movie narrates various teenage experiences and issues that arise due to the generation gap and are easy to identify with. But the strength of Udaan lies in its story telling, which is very real. As are the setting and the overall ambience. However, the realism might be difficult to handle for some. The scenes between the abusive father and his children are quite disturbing and could unsettle the audience. But that’s the whole purpose of the movie.


Courtesy Amit Trivedi the music is another high-point of the movie. Aazaadiyan’s harmonious vocals wrapped in true rock style, take flight mid-way beautifully and set the right mood. The songs have meaningful lyrics, all penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya.


Rohan’s character is tailor-made for Rajat Barmecha and he makes most of it. Ronit Roy and Ram Kapoor deliver strong performances as brothers with completely different idiosyncrasies. The director has ensured that no character overshadows Rohan’s presence in the frame, simply because it’s his story.


What may mar the film is its slow pace. Udaan takes its own time to explain its premise. Though you feel for the protagonist as the movie progresses, a few scenes do drag and test your patience.


Udaan borrows something from everyone’s life. Its heart is in the right place. But most importantly, it has a soul and may well make you reflect on your own life and wonder, “I could’ve done this differently.”