Masaan

#Masaan  : Have you ever stood near a Masaan ( Crematorium),  where each single day number of people are brought in as bodies ,just plain life less bodies. As the funeral pyre lights up, comes a moment of vast emptiness followed by a sense of letting go. After all as one of the protagonist says in the film “Anyways I have heard everything gets sorted out after sometime “. It is the place where the skull gets crushed mercilessly in order to liberate the soul!  And what better city to depict this journey than Benaras – A city that celebrates life and death, with some sense of equanimity.

Neeraj Ghaywan’s directorial debut “Masaan” is about a society in flux. It celebrates love as much as it celebrates letting go, it celebrates life as much as Death. It captures the essence of a small city bursting at its seams thanks to conflicting value system. It is the “Doms” who pile up and set the bodies on fire, they are the last stop in our march to salvation, yet the society doesn’t accept them. When a higher class girl falls in love with a guy who sets the funeral fire, she knows her parents won’t accept him. Yet, there is a new shining India, full of aspiration – so the guy is competing hard to get a respectable job, the girl is ready to run away with him, if required. There is still hope, all is not lost yet. But then life’s ultimate truth, death dawns on them. Yet life must go on....

Somewhere else in the same city, Devi, a fiercely independent and aspirational girl is paying the price for   being caught while having premarital sex with her boyfriend. She denies being apologetic and bold enough to explain her escapade as an “act of curiosity”. Her boyfriend is “Killed” ,her family is blackmailed by the cops, who are supposed to provide protection to the society . While she is mourning the loss of her lover, her father is mourning the loss of family honour. This is the dichotomy India encounters every day, this is the hypocrisy we take pride in. Yet she is not cowed down. Life must go on ....

Varun Grover’s screenplay is crisp and compelling and Neeraj Ghaywan’s direction is astute and assured. It is not a flawless film, yet considering it is his directorial debut, he has done a commendable job. No one has ever breathed life into a (Sa)Msaan the way Neeraj has .  Richa Chaddha , in spite of her inconsistency ,manages to pull off the character of Devi. New comer Vicky Kaushal and Shweta Tripathy are absolutely brilliant. Shweta as Shallu gives an endearing performance. Vicky Kaushal is the find of this year.  And that man, Sanjai Mishra , what an actor he is . With each of his release he is exploring new facets of his acting prowess.

Masaan is a poignant portrayal of multi layered storytelling. It has so much to say, yet so many times the silence in the film speaks louder than the word.  It is highly metaphorical. It shows the conflicts in our society. It reflects the confusing value system we have been a part of.  It shows how a new generation driven by technology and aspiration are ready to move in to a new era. It reflects Hope. There is a bridge, there is a river, both of them bring people in and they also take them away. Yet life must go on.......

Forget awards , forget ratings , forget reviews , just go and be a part of the story !