Masand's Verdict: Ramchand Pakistani, a noble effort

Rajeev Masand , CNN-IBN
Posted on Oct 04, 2008 at 00:23 | Updated Oct 04, 2008 at 03:12

0

Cast: Syed Fazal Hussain, Nandita Das, Rashid Farooqui

Direction: Mehreen Jabbar

There's much to appreciate in Pakistani filmmaker Mehreen Jabbar's debut feature Ramchand Pakistani, and chief among them is child actor Syed Fazal Hussain's heart-breaking performance as Ramchand, the eight-year-old Hindu Dalit boy who lives with his family in a small border village in Pakistan.

When Ramchand and his father inadvertently cross over into the Indian territory, they're arrested by Indian patrol officers suspicious of their motives, and subsequently locked up in an Indian prison, where despite the lack of any evidence against them, they must languish for some five long years.

Ramchand's helpless mother, meanwhile, played by Nandita Das, is unable to do much more than wait for her husband and child to return.

There's merit in the core idea of the film, which dodges clichés and avoids stereotypical representations, but you can't help wondering aloud if – in an attempt to depict both sides as fairly as possible – the director might have made the story over-simplistic and even a little too unreal.

While it's noble the manner in which Jabbar portrays the Indian prison as a place of social and communal harmony; and the entire Indian police personnel as sympathetic, kind and friendly, I hate to point out that news reports and investigations have often revealed this is far from the truth.

I might have even dismissed the director's overly optimistic perspective as just that, had the film not arrived with the claim of being inspired by real events. But, set as the story is in 2002, shortly after the terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament in New Delhi, it seems idealistic and impossible even that prisons like this that housed so many Pakistani captives would not become hotbeds of revenge.

Now having made that point, here's the reason you should watch this film: Ramchand Pakistani is a straightforward, simple story about people who have become fall guys of fate. It touches upon matters like communal harmony, the desire for freedom, overcoming prejudices; and yet in the end it's the coming-of-age story of this young innocent boy and his relationships – the most tender being the one he shares with his father, played by the excellent Rashid Farooqui.

Also endearing is the bond Ramchand shares with the female police officer who doesn't take to him instantly, but becomes a significant influence in his life eventually.

The track that doesn't work very well is the one involving Nandita Das' character. Very little happens here for the most part and as a result her portions drag on unnecessarily. Even the stirrings of a romance between her character and a Muslim neighbor aren't explored convincingly.

Ramchand Pakistani is a film rich in subtext, but for that you have to look closely. There's a good chance the lethargic pace of the screenplay will make you yawn in many places, but try not to let that deter you.

I'm going with two out of five for director Mehreen Jabbar's Ramchand Pakistani.

It's a noble effort, and a respectable first film, one that's held together by an engaging performance by its eight-year-old star. Discover it for yourself, if you've got time and patience on hand.

Rating: 2 / 5 (Good)

More on: Ramchand pakistani, nandita das, Bollywood, pakistan, Film Review: Masand Verdict