While most coming-of-age films end with the irresponsible boy becoming a man and reconciling his differences with his father (and they tearfully hug during an over-the-top sentimental climax as we have seen them do in Wake Up Sid, Iqbal , Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander or Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa ), Vikramaditya Motwane, an Anurag Kashyap protégé, keeps it so real that it hits you hard right at the gut. This is really one of the first Indian films to go behind closed doors in small towns and show us how dysfunctional families get in a country that has celebrated the “Loving your parents” theme over the years.
In Hindi cinema, parents have always been the sacrificing providers, and it took an evil stepmother or stepfather to bring a shade of grey to the happy family.
In Udaan's Jamshedpur, iron and steel are a way of life and upbringing. And, kids are raised in a factory environment, with rules, discipline and punishment based on performance. If the kid does not listen, give him one across the face. If he talks back, repeat. For extreme misbehaviour, belt him. Does not matter if he's six or 17. He'd better respect his father and conform if he wants to stay in his father's house. Imagine One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest in an Indian home run by the patriarch.
All this could've easily become a Bollywood stereotype of an evil father but for Motwane's sensitivity in handling this conflict (maybe, it did help that Anurag Kashyap has co-written this angst-ridden film). Despite the rough and tough exterior, the short-temper and violent outbursts, we also get a sneak peek of the human side of the father in a superbly-executed scene when the drunk father asks the son if he smokes, drinks or has had sex. Now this is the kind of father who would reprimand the kids for misbehaviour but also take them out for a picnic — ‘Kabhi Raakshas, Kabhi Bhed' (Sometimes a demon, sometimes a lamb) as the poet-son observes.
Ronit Roy, as the father Bhairav Singh, sparkles with his intensity and unpredictable body language that there's always tension in the air when he and the phenomenally-talented Rajat Bharmecha (who plays Rohan, the son) share screen space. Rajat is a natural, innocent and rebellious in equal parts. This is a role of a lifetime, and he makes the heart of this film beat. The little boy, Aayan Boradia, is a heart-warming presence.
The film, for most of its length, is indulgent and lets its characters breathe, and this is exactly what makes Udaan take off. Kudos to Amit Trivedi for his fine mix of music and silence.
Udaan is yet another finely-crafted film from the Anurag Kashyap school of filmmaking that demands to be watched for its audacity and honesty.
Udaan
Genre: Drama
Director: Vikramaditya Motwane
Cast: Rajat Bharmecha, Ronit Roy, Aayan Boradia, Anand Tiwari, Ram Kapoor
Storyline: A 17-year old suspended from boarding school returns home after eight years of neglect and finds his wings clipped by his abusive father
Bottomline: A father-son conflict as never seen before
