Feb 25, 2005 04:33 PM
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(Updated Feb 25, 2005 10:37 PM)
Riding high on the success of Shwaas, the Marathi film industry now has another film which will add to their list of accolades. Devrai ? The Sacred Grove is a small film with a tiny publicity budget.
I was very lucky that I got to watch this movie at the recent MAMI international film festival at Mumbai. The movie made a great impact on me and I actually do consider it one of our finest films.
Devrai is a journey into the mind of a young man suffering from schizophrenia. Though this is a subject that has been explored pretty extensively by western cinema, we have never really made a foray in this area. The movie is actually produced by the Schizophrenia Awareness Society and was meant to be truthful portrait of the disease. It is however much more than that. Devrai explores not only the effects of a mental disease on the sufferer but is an exquisitely honest portrayal of its effects on the other people who love and support the patient. It is a tender portrayal of the trials and tribulations of a family, of adult relationships and basically the intricacies of our relations with our loved ones.
The story of Devrai is simple and the screenplay and dialogue is beautifully woven together. The movie is about a young man named Shesh, played to perfection by Atul Kulkarni. Shesh is a not-so-successful science student, who has just managed to pass his bachelor?s degree and has been working on his masters. Shesh has spent his childhood in a small village in Konkan, where he was obsessed with the idea of a sacred grove or ?Devrai?.
This sacred grove actually exists and has been mentioned in the Mahabharata as a place where all trees, plants and animals live in perfect harmony and there is a beautiful balance in the ecology. The Devrai needs nothing from outside save sunlight and water and all its inhabitants live in peace. A Devrai is supposed to be a sacred place which is guarded for the gods and is respected by all villagers as a place where no trees are felled and no harm done to the creatures. Shesh learns about all of this and tries to make it into a research of a lifetime. Shesh is suffering from schizophrenia however, and cannot differentiate between reality and fantasy. In his delusions he gives the Devrai a human face and gets lost within its countless mazes.
We are introduced to his disease through the eyes and emotions of his sister Seena, played by Sonali Kulkarni. Seena has no idea that Shesh is suffering from this disease until she brings him in to the hospital one day when he undergoes a violent seizure at home. We are introduced to the scenario through Seena?s narrative. We are with her when the doctor (Mohan Agashe) explains to her the gravity of the situation.
Sonali is a remarkable actress and we immediately feel the confusion and the distress she undergoes. Sonali?s character takes us through the rest of the movie as we see how the family deals with Shesh?s disease. We see as Shesh himself finds a grip on reality and battles the disease with medication and therapy.
The movie focuses on human relationships. The movie explores not only the psyche of a mentally ill person, but also a few other bold themes as well. There is a bond of love between Shesh and his cousin, Kalyani, played by Devika Daftardar. The forbidden love is nipped in the bud by his mother when they are children. The movie explores with great sensitivity this bond between the two, who are now adults.
The movie is about loving and accepting and understanding. This movie is about coming to terms with one?s illness and learning to control and live with it. This movie is about learning how to live with and understand mentally ill people.
The action in the movie moves back and forth in time and space between a small village in Konkan and the town of Pune. The cinematography is really good and the look is very realistic. The setting is a middle class maharashtrian household. Devrai is directed by the duo of Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukhtankar. One of the few ?tricks? the directors use, is to show the part of the movie through Sonali?s narratives and other parts through the actual workings of Shesh?s mind. Therefore, we actually see his delusions and understand his fantasies (to a few I know this seems like a throwback to ?A Beautiful Mind?, but it is not as stylized as that). This is highly effective and gives a beautiful feel to the movie. The characters are brilliantly fleshed out and each role has its proper significance.
Atul Kulkarni?s performance is extraordinary and he has already won many awards for this film at many film festivals. His portrayal of a troubled man, who cannot choose between living in his fantasies and facing reality, is exquisite. Sonali Kulkarni is amazing in her role, as is Tushar Dalvi, as her skeptical but sympathetic husband. Devika, who plays his cousin, comes as an unexpected treat. She is beautiful and her performance breathes fresh air into the narrative. The little boy from Shwaas is also present in this cast, as Sonali?s son. Though his role is not too big, he still manages to hold his own.
Finally, I would like to confess something. The reason I wrote this review, is actually because a lot of people couldn?t understand why I refrained from praising Black too much. I know that it is unfair to compare movies, especially in a review like this, but I can?t help comparing these two movies. Devrai achieves so much without once giving in to any form of melodrama. There are no dramatic tears and no big speeches and no outbursts, and yet it touches a chord within you when you see it. It is impossible to not feel for the people, not cry with their plight. I hope a lot of people can actually watch this movie, to understand that subtle dialogue and muted emotions can bring beauty to a movie.
The movie is going to be released at Fame Adlabs, Mumbai soon, so I guess the Mumbai people have a chance at watching it. For the others I guess VCDs can be rented. I hope the review was alright. Please do rate and comment, its always great.
P.S. just found out that this movie won awards for best Marathi movie, best director, best actor (Atul Kulkarni) and best actress (Sonali Kulkarni) at the Star Screen awards 2005.
