Movie Review - "Paa"

In a sachcharine filled artificially sweetened world of Bollywood movies with it's make believe plots and uber cool families, where Paris stands in for patiala and where caricature rules the roost, comes a film that stands out with it's pure heart warming tale about a boy named Auro.
The biggest superstar with his trademark face and baritone decides to give those up, and to deep dive into one of the most difficult roles, and manages to enthrall the audience with a superlative performance.
So pure and simple in it's narrative, Paa is one of the best movies of 2009. No shaadis, no hip hop, no foreign dancers or the melodrama that accompanies a bollywood vehicle.
Sumptuously filmed and brilliantly acted by the principal cast. Paa is not a weepy film like Black. It's not a sentimental journey into the progeria affected world of Auro. It's a celebration. Abhishek plays it straight and Vidya Balan who seems to have finally got her styling right, is brilliant. Nag is fantastic as the mother who is a friend to Auro. And surprisingly it's not a big b vehicle. It does not star amitabh Bachchan. It's star is Auro. A brand new actor who makes his Bollywood debut. So believable, so lovable and so brilliant. In a role that is sure to get amitabh his second national award amongst all the other ones, he plays a role never done before. In perhaps the biggest gamble in his acting career, he gives up all that he is famous for, all the traits that the world knows him for - his looks, his gait, his voice, his dance, his image and replaces each with a unique and mind blowing brand new alternative. For not a single moment does one see amitabh on screen. Auro regales us with his sense of humor, and is the epitome of all things positive. The entire casting is spot on and they should all share the limelight for making this movie so believable and so unlike a bollywood movie.

Balki strikes the real believable and heart warming chord once again after Cheeni Kum. In a poignantly directed film he lets the characters play out their roles without being seen. No gimmicks no punches pulled. Just tells the story as is. Maestro Illaiyaraja is in vintage form. Brilliant. His tunes complement the movie and the songs and background score are brilliant. Beautifully shot and edited Paa is the Baap of all bollywood movies. If there's one movie that needs to be seen it's this. For the sheer courage it has taken the team to bring this to life.

Go see the movie on the big screen.