Posto Movie Review

Last weekend, I went to watch a Bengali film called “Posto” with my Dad. The reason for watching the movie is that Posto is directed by the same director duo, Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy, who had enthralled me in the last two years with movies like ‘Bela Seshe’ and ‘Praktan’.

This director duo surely knows how to tell a story that is emotional and relatable. The subjects that they deal with in their movies are something that will linger in your mind long after you have left the theatres. While Bela Seshe (In the Autumn of my Life) was an emotional re-discovery of the institution of marriage, Praktan (Former) was about a separated married couple who bumped into each other years after, on a train journey from Mumbai to Kolkata.

Their latest offering, Posto is about a seven-year old boy, Posto who lives with his grandparents in Shantiniketan. His parents, Arnab and Sushmita are ambitious, working individuals living in Kolkata who have no time to look after Posto. Therefore, they have left Posto with his grandparents in Shantiniketan. Posto’s grandparents Dinen and Gauri cannot think of their life without Posto. In the same way, Posto is also very much attached to his grandparents.

Life is rosy with Posto’s parents visiting him on the weekends and his grandparents raising him. Things become chaotic when Arnab gets a lucrative business offer in the UK. He plans to relocate to the UK with his wife and son. But Posto’s grandparents are not willing to let go of Posto whom they had raised like their own child since Posto was a baby. Seeing no other way out, Posto’s grandfather decides to fight against his own son to gain the custody of Posto. The matter drags to the court where a heart-wrenching tale of attachment and love unfolds.

Dale Carnegie had said long back “When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but creatures of emotion.” We human beings get attached to the ones with whom we spend a lot of time and who love us unconditionally. This is the reason why Posto calls his grandmother ‘Ma’ whereas his mother ‘Mammam”. As Posto is raised by his grandparents, he is attached to them much more than his parents. 

His biological parents think that they have every right to take Posto with them wherever they want, without realizing that Posto hardly knows his parents beyond the weekend meetings. His life revolves around his grandparents, the same way his grandparents’ lives revolve around him. The lawyer fighting the case asks a pertinent question to the judge which is so relevant:

Who is the actual guardian? The biological parents or the caregiver parents? Devaki or Yashoda?

Giving birth to a child is not enough. Raising the child to be a wonderful human being is the true duty of every parent. And in this movie, that duty is done by Posto’s grandparents. Despite their age and physical ailments, they spend all their time looking after Posto, giving him the right education and teaching him the values of life. 

This movie is extremely relevant in today’s times as many parents due to their busy schedule cannot spend ample amount of time with their children. The movie also shows the role that grandparents play in the life of their grandchildren. The first half of the movie is good, but the second half takes the audience on an emotional ride when the matter gets dragged to court. Some of the scenes made me so emotional that tears started rolling down my eyes.

Since the backdrop of the movie is Shantiniketan, Tagore songs are a huge element of the movie that beautifies it effortlessly. Soumitra Chatterjee as Dinen Lahiri is fabulous in the movie. Special mention to the child actor, Arghya Basu Roy for making the character of Posto so lovable. Performances by Jisshu Sengupta, Paran Bandopadhyay, Lily Chakraborty and Mimi Chakraborty are also praiseworthy.

Posto is a beautiful Bengali film that will be loved by the Bengali audience as it has Tagore songs, authentic emotions and a great theme. I would recommend Posto to everyone who loves watching a good movie. This is a slice of life movie with the perfect backdrop and brilliant performances. I am going with 4.5 stars. 

Baar Baar Dekho: An offbeat movie with a new concept

Baar Baar Dekho makes you think "Are you valuing your present?" or "Are you running after your future, letting the present moment slip away from your hands?"

The movie begins with the song "Kho Gaye hum Kahan" where we see Jai (Sidharth Malhotra) and Diya (Katrina Kaif) growing up together. The childhood sweethearts have a blissful life. Jai is a mathematician, whereas Diya is an artist. Diya is clearly the driver in their relationship who is governed by her heart. Jai, on the other hand cannot think anything beyond logic and believes that life is a set of calculations.

Although Jai admits that he and Diya are like an old married couple who know everything about each other, he feels uneasy when Diya proposes him for marriage. Although he says yes to marriage, his focus is only on his career. He is so engrossed in his future that he fails to see Diya's unconditional love for him. It eventually results in a fight between the couple on the night of Sangeet.

Jai sleeps that night and his whole life is drastically changed. How? The director shows the audience that Jai wakes up in various time periods of his life. At first, he wakes up in Thailand, where they have gone for their honeymoon. The audience is as clueless as Jai and cannot figure out what actually is happening.

In the same manner, Jai wakes up on the day he becomes a father. Then, he wakes up on the day when he is having a divorce. The pattern continues till the time Jai understands the value of living in the present, valuing relationships and the importance of work-life balance. Once he realizes it, the time travel stops and he wakes up in the present.

Now, what exactly happened with Jai? Was it a dream? Was it his subconscious mind that made him realize his mistake? Was he really travelling in time? Director, Nitya Mehra has left it to the audience to figure out.

Baar Baar Dekho is an offbeat movie with a new concept. The beginning of the second half  is a little boring which can test your patience, but the last few minutes of the movie touches the right chords. The movie will linger even after you leave the theater, The message of the movie is strong and relatable in today's context. It is not the big gestures, but the tiny, little things that you do for your loved ones on a regular basis which has the maximum impact in your life.

Sidharth Malhotra manages to pull off the complex role with panache. Katrina Kaif is good in some scenes, but she falls flat in many emotional scenes. Debutante director, Nitya Mehra has done an outstanding job in her first movie. The movie, however, lacked depth. Had it been a little more intense, it could have grasped the hearts of the audience better.

However, with a good dose of comedy, great chemistry between the lead pair, a powerful message and enchanting music, Baar Baar Dekho is a great one time watch. I will go with a 3 and a half stars.

10 things that make Neerja a must watch biopic!

"Neerja" is a biopic made on the life of an extraordinary brave woman, Neerja Bhanot, a 23 year old bubbly and beautiful model and air hostess who lost her life saving the lives of her passengers in the ill fated Pan Am Flight 73 which got hijacked in Karachi on 5 September, 1986. She was the youngest and the first woman recipient of the Ashok Chakra award.

The movie has been made with a lot of heart and soul, which makes "Neerja" an outstanding biopic and a movie to remember. Here are the 10 things which make Neerja a MUST WATCH biopic:

1. More Fact, Minimal Fiction

In order to commercialize movies, Bollywood often pours a lot of fiction, even while making a biopic or a movie based on a real incident. However, Neerja relies heavily on fact and that is the reason why you will be able to connect to this movie on an emotional level.

2. Sonam Kapoor's credible performance

Just like everyone, I was also skeptical about Sonam's acting skills and doubted whether she can do justice to the character of Neerja Bhanot. Sonam surprises immensely with this movie. Right from the first scene when we spot her, talking to a cabbie and telling him "Babumoshai! Zindagi badi honi chahiye, lambi nahi", it feels we are watching Neerja on screen, not Fashionista Sonam Kapoor. Her performance is honest and touching. We can see her reading two letters at two different situations and she impresses both the time. Her vulnerability is palpable and her liveliness is infectious. Sonam makes us believe that she is Neerja and that no other actor would have looked more believable as Neerja than her.

3. Shabana Azmi as Neerja's mother

The speech of Shabana Azmi during the last few minutes of the movie will move anyone to tears. She reminisces how Neerja was a simple and a bubbly girl who was fond of Rajesh Khanna's movies. She can't fathom how Neerja got the courage to save so many passengers, without caring for her own life. But even when she died, she taught her mother how to live life by sending a message to her through a kid "Pushpa, I hate tears". 

4. Perfect screenplay and cinematography

The movie could have been easily boring as all we see is more than 350 passengers hijacked in a plane, but the screenplay is so tight that you don't get bored for even a minute. The flashback scenes of Neerja's abusive marriage are wonderfully weaved with the scenes where she battles with her fear against the terrorists.
The cinematography makes things look realistic and believable.

5. No subplots and every actor justified in his/her role

Unlike most Bollywood movies, Neerja is not crowded with several subplots of the passengers in the flight that could have taken away the soul of the biopic. Each and every actor was justified in his/her role, be it Yogender Tiku as Neerja's father or Shekhar Ravjiani as Neerja's lover. The terrorists were really terrifying.

6. Top notch direction

Ram Madhvani's top notch direction made this movie outstanding. The director knows how to tell the story of a hero, without any melodrama and exaggeration.

7. Neerja teaches you to love life

Neerja is in love with life. She spreads happiness and love all around. Her infectious energy and liveliness makes you adore her. She believes that life needs to be worthy and notable, not lengthy.

8. Nothing is more important than being a good human being

Neerja inspires you to find the humanity within yourself. She inspires you to be kind and compassionate. She makes you feel that there is nothing more important than being a good human being. We all will die one day...leaving back our small acts of kindness. The scene where she dies saving the lives of three kids will teach you the essence of humanity.

9. Think of solutions without getting nervous

During danger, we panic and tend to lose our judgment. This movie teaches you that it's okay to panic, but when you are in a problem, you should first think of solutions.Instead of getting paralyzed with fear, Neerja gives the hijack code to the pilots that helps them to escape. She also saves more than 350 lives due to her wit and quick thinking.

10. You need to know the story of Neerja Bhanot

Lastly and most importantly, you need to know the story of Neerja Bhanot. Her incredible bravery and kindness stems from her own personal struggle. She is a hero, a true Indian and a beautiful human being, Watch this movie to know her story!

What did you like the most in Neerja? Haven't watched it, yet? Then please go see the movie!