Cast: Kishor Kadam, Ishita Deshmukh, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir, Anuj Prabhu, Suresh Vishwakarma, Dhruv Thoke
Crew:
Cinematography by Amalendu Chaudhary
Editing by Ashish Mhatre
Music by Ilaiyaraaja
Written & Directed by Santosh Davakhar
Produced by Santosh Davakhar, Diksha Davakhar
Gondhal got huge attention across the nation as it got selected as India's official entry for 99th Academy Awards, Oscars. The movie released in Telugu language on 13th November. The movie explores an 800-year tradition that happens in Maharashtra in villages during wedding. Let's discuss about this Marathi film in detail.
Plot:
Bhivaba (Kishor Kadam), a Gondhali, goes to perform at the big wedding of Ananda (Yogesh Sohoni) and Suman (Ishita Deshmukh). But he has an issue with how his daughter-in-law and son are talked about in the village. Mainly, about the fear of Patil (Suresh Vishwakarma) and Sarjerao (Nishad Bhoir). Anandrao is a very friendly and innocent person but people call him impotent. Suman is confused by this talk and she feels she lost an opportunity of being Patilbai as Sarjerao loves her.
Bhivaba advices her to not trust in Sarjerao and tells her that they are bad people. At the event, she is seen very flirtatious with Sarjerao and he challenges to give her Mu Maa, to a local person. Later, she meets Murali, Sahebrao (Anuj Prabhu) and falls in his lap. They both have been in love from a long time and her parents forced her to marry Ananda. She plans to elope with Saheb. Will they elope? Will Sarjerao let her slip away? What will happen in this Gondhal night event? Watch the film to know more.
Analysis:
Santosh Davakhar has created a very realistic village atmosphere to bring this tradition to big screen. His passion is visible in the first 25 minutes - Oner or One shot sequence. The movie tends to go downwards after this sequence even though it is a simple film that majorly focuses on bringing this tradition to life and connect it to the main story.
Also, the movie tends to focus more on the tradition than the story at times making audiences a little bit too restless after a point. Still, technical brilliance is top notch as sound design scores big. The instruments played at Gondhal and authentic voices are restored to give the similar experience that villagers experience at such events.
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Still, movie falters at being an engaging narrative as the twists get darker, the narrative loses the spark it showcased in establishment. Not about continuing with oners but the culmination of events tend to be too convenient. Divine intervention is hinted at places while things tend to be more realistic to a level of being surreal. The flirtatious scenes, the repetitive nature of characters' interactions does tend to make too much to be involved.
Even the lovers of craft tend to think the movie does go overboard trying to be celebration of that art and tradition but loses the focus that the main characters and story had to bring into it. There are Macbeth parallels and performances are really excellent. Ilaiyaraaja score is perfection. While technically movie is sound and well crafted, the craft takes over too much and story appears pale in comparison.
Positives:
Representation of Tradition
Performances
Technical values
Music
Negatives:
Writing could've better
Feels too convenient
Twists appear predictable
Bottomline: Gondhal is not a ground-breaking achievement but its craft speaks more than the story!
Rating: 2.5/5
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Naslen wraps his next film shooting
Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this review are personal views/opinions shared by the writer and organisation does not hold a liability to them. Viewers' discretion is advised before reacting to them.
