The film Photograph, which is written and directed by #RiteshBatra, is an ode to old-school romance. A romance that is pure, refreshing, and heartwarming all at the same time. The movie traverses the same lines as Batra's previous ventures like #TheLunchbox. Two strangers bond in unusual circumstances and start harboring affection, in its purest form, for each other.
All the characters in the movie are relatable with the various kinds of people we come across in the Mumbai city. Rafi (#NawazuddinSiddiqui) is a struggling street photographer who earns a living by clicking photographs of individuals frequenting the Gateway of India.
It is exactly at this place where he meets Miloni (#SanyaMalhotra) who happens to get herself clicked but leaves without paying him (as her mom and sister-in-law are calling out for her). This one photograph sets the tone for the entire film.
The protagonists of the film are at stark polarities, as far as their religion, culture, lifestyle, finances, or social upbringing is concerned. However, both of them possess a childlike innocence which acts as a connecting link between them. Both these characters are introverted in their own ways, but they emote a lot with each other both verbally and nonverbally.
Rafi's paternal grandmother essayed by #FarrukhJaffer is hell-bent that Rafi should marry soon, or she won't take her medicines. His grandmother's pressure tactics and emotional blackmailing coerce Rafi to introduce Miloni as his fake fiance Noorie to his grandmother. Although his grandmother can't digest the fact that her grandson can get a girl as pretty as Noorie, she is really happy for both of them.
The chemistry between Rafi and Dadi is one of the highpoints of the film. Their dialogues are interspersed with both humor and seriousness at the same time. The scenes involving Rafi, Dadi, and Miloni unfailingly bring a smile on your face.
#SachinKhedekhar (Miloni's dad) and #LubnaSalim (Miloni's mom) have done a decent job as typical conservative parents of a Gujarati household. #GeetanjaliKulkarni, who plays a role of the housemaid in the film, has picked the nuances of her character bang on. We have #JimSarbh (known for his roles in #Neerja and #Padmaavat) essay the role of the head of a coaching class for chartered accountants (where Miloni is his student). We also have a small cameo by the highly talented #VijayRaaz (who is a ghost in the film).
The discussion that Rafi's roommates have in the night and the perspectives that each of them shares certainly will make you feel nostalgic. The size of their room is extremely small, but all of them have big hearts. Although the movie does not have any songs, it does play few lines from old Bollywood classics time and again in the film.
You will observe a bokeh-effect of photography in several scenes where only the character in focus gains prominence and all other things get blurred out in the background. Right from the beginning, the movie starts tying your heart with the thread of the story. Unfortunately, the movie fails to tug your heart because the screenplay downs the movie.
One of the most disappointing aspects of the film is it's abrupt ending. It also gives a feeling that the movie wasn't edited appropriately leading to addition of few scenes that seemed quite unnecessary to the narrative. At the end of the movie, you are still unclear about what message the director wanted to give via the movie.
Our verdict: You can easily afford to skip this movie in the theater. You can wait for this movie to have a world television premiere. The movie also has a slow pace that might test the patience of several moviegoers.
Why should I watch Photograph?
If you need a reason to watch this movie in the theatre, watch it for Sanya Malhotra. She will surprise you completely!!
The movie had its premiere at prestigious film festivals like the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and the 69th Berlin International Film Festival. It is an Indo-American co-production that has artists, producers, and technicians from both the countries who have given their services for the film.
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Our Rating: 2.5/5.0
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Length: 1h 50min
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