The scenic Bengal is the home of many beautiful Bollywood films namely the iconic Devdas or the sweet Parineeta or powerful Kahaani. Piku however journeys deeper into the picturesque charm of Bengal this week. The film welcomes us into the world of a father who introduces his 30-year-old daughter to her suitors as a “financially, emotionally and sexually independent, non-virgin woman” and a daughter who scolds her dad for his obsession with health and tells him it would have been better if he had some disease… Her name is Piku!
Piku enacted by Deepika Padukone whose world orbits around her office, her colleague Sayyed Afroze (Jishu Sengupta) and her ever-so-doting father Bhaskhor Banerjee played by the legendary Amitabh Bachchan. Life is absolutely monotonous for her. While her day starts off with her office and ends with her father who is always worried about constipation- that’s why she compromises with the existing situation, which also means that she has to cancel a lunch date in order to attend to her ‘mentally constipated’ father’s constant SOS.
Just when life is moving in a boring manner for the Banerjee family, an unexpected decision to travel to Kolkata comes up. Because Bhaskhor rules out the possibility of travelling by air or train mentioning his constipated problems, the family decides to go on a road trip to Kolkata. One the other hand, due to lack of ‘availability’ of any driver, the owner of a rental taxi service Rana Chaudhary played by the tremendously talented Irrfan Khan decides to drive the car himself.
It is during this trip that Piku and her father learns a few bitter facts about life and about each other courtesy of Rana who doesn’t believe in hiding the truth. It is throughout this journey that a romance develops between Piku and Rana. When they reach Kolkata, a tragedy strikes the Banerjee home, which not only changes the whole course of Piku’s life, but also conveys the Banerjee household to a halt. Watch Piku to find out what is this tragedy that strikes them? Will Piku ever be able to find love? And does Bhaskhor ultimately find a solution to his constipation? This forms the rest of the movie!
With Vicky Donor and Madras Café director Shoojit Sircar and the writer of Vicky Donor Juhi Chaturvedi the film truly has a remarkable and immensely catching story. Shoojit has creatively handled tale of PIKU. This film is without a doubt one he will be acclaimed for his collection of celluloid. In Piku he has proved his hegemony as a storyteller. The music of Piku is situational and works perfectly with the story. The editing was superbly executed. The cinematography was befitting and very real. Piku does not feel like a movie; it might as well have been a video recording of any family with an ageing parent and a single child taking care of him/her. Piku presents a very realistic view of a typical Indian family. There is no cinematic aura, over-the-top idealistic relations and absolutely no preachy morals. The film harps on the simplicity of reality, gently tugging on your heartstrings.
Deepika Padukone enacts a sweet and simple young woman with finesse. She is a spectacular actress. Her role as Naina Talwar in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani its own fan following we will soon see Piku having her own fan following. She is sincere, and has taken this simple character and owned it! Deepika and Amitabh Bachchan were without a doubt perfectly casted in this film. She proves yet again that she is perhaps one of the most devoted lead actors the industry can boast of and one who does not disappoint with her bold choice of non-glamorous, refreshing roles. Her attitude in the film will in remind you of all women are independent, have a mind of their own and do not allow anyone to dictate their lives.
Amitabh Bachchan deserves a standing ovation as he is truly a prim and proper Man of sophistication yet he is simply amazing in Piku. Amitabh Bachchan is endearing and real in his portrayal of a 70-year-old man, dependant on his daughter. However, in his bid to come across as the ageing man who turns progressively childish in his demeanour. His behaviour and gestures as a Bengali old man are purely outstanding. Irrfan Khan is a great actor; there is no refuting the fact that he is truthfully vivid in his part. His interactions with Amitabh Bachchan are totally hilarious. The film also features Moushumi Chatterjee who is an absolute endearing delight to watch in the film.
Piku is one for the family! It is an endearing film. Piku is a heart-warming experience that every person who has lived with ill or elderly parent will connect to. It is a story of how an Independent woman who juggles her professional and personal lives with domestic responsibilities. Piku offers no high voltage entertainment or romantic experiences but neither is it preaching on how kids should be responsible towards their parents. This is the kind of entertainment Bollywood should aim towards. The small quotients of melodrama is controlled stunningly by laughs and tears together like a pack of cards making Piku one of the more emotionally authentic films to have come from the industry.
Rating: 9/10 | 4.5 Stars