Thursday, 29 September 2016

WAITING - Movie Review




WAITING directed by Anu Menon, starring Naseeruddin Shah and Kalki Koechlin in this drama film that puts two opposite individuals in a surreal scenario at a hospital. They both wrestle with the situation of losing their loved ones, but during the time spent in a hospital and waiting, these two sufferers connect to try and seek a life and brace themselves for the future with what is ideally a losing battle tragedy.

What I liked the most about this film was that, it allowed two different generations to express and share their views and stories upon the situation they are having to deal with. Not your everyday kind of film but a film that gives back enough to the audience to think about life. The film is slow and not much developing as the story concept is deep and already the story has hit rock bottom. You would think that a miracle will happen but just as how gradually the characters begin to lose hope, you as an audience will soon too. The film makes no dramatic U-turn and comes to a quiet close giving closure to what was seen evident and likely to occur. A good effort by the filmmakers, a film that is not glamorous and not dictating anything too highly. The film implants an emotional bearing on the cast from the start, this helps to set the tone for the rest of the film.

What does not work with Waiting, is that you don’t get development in the lives after both the losses that these individuals encounter. As the whole film was giving us an insight in the moment of ‘waiting’, I felt that the film should have had an inclusion of an insight on how much bearing the outcome has had on their lives as they move forward.  With the writing department being strong and consistent with portraying the message that is evident, I was a little disappointed with the climax and closure being too soft and almost seems as if a lazy effort of constructing it. It came to a calming curtain close and such film as this, would have done with a more sudden impact with the aftermath, despite the characters knowing what the realistic ending would be.

CAST
NASEERUDDIN SHAH – He allows his experience in holding the film together, not allowing the seriousness of the situation to affect him mentally. Naseeruddin Shah shows a solid presence and this helps narrate the motive of waiting and hoping as well as preparing for the future. He maintains this restricted figure, not keen on expressing openly, but that signifies the ageing mentality too of not moving way ahead of yourself. He holds back more often, thinking more and doing less, so he knows what needs and should be said at the right moment instead of making hasty decisions.
KALKI KOECHLIN – Kalki comes in with a free-bird, a bit of a brightening spark in this quiet waiting film. Her acting can be labelled as loud, as she intends to get things moving, as well as she begins to help her co-star to loosen up with life at some points, adding a new dimension to the plot. With her performance she was allowed to express more since she has the younger mentality in seeing things in society as they are today.

RATING
Overall, I would rate Waiting 3/5. The movie was well made, knowing the type and genre, there was not much to expect from the film as it all was quiet conclusive from the beginning with the outcome. But what works well is what happens when you have such problems that make you cave right in. The two leads bounce off each other in supporting one another without having no previous bonding. But a waiting room does do wonders in helping to support each other when nobody else is around to do that.The film tackles life questions and make you thing about things around you and putting life in to perspective. 


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