"This is a much more four-square, on-the-nose, realist work about impoverished young men from a rural northern Indian town struggling to get ahead, and loosely based on a New York Times story published in 2020. But director Neeraj Ghaywan, whose 2015 debut Masaan was well-regarded, has a fairy godfather in Martin Scorsese no less, who apparently mentored Ghaywan through the script development and editing."
"Who knows who is responsible for which choices, but the end result is pretty damn good. It's an emotionally rich study of friendship that ought to play as a bit syrupy given the story, but the musical score, usually very to the fore in more mainstream Indian films, has been smartly stripped down to let the excellent lead performers and strong cinematography bring the drama on their own."
"The protagonists are Chandan Kumar (Vishal Jethwa), who is a Dalit from what used to be called the untouchable caste, and his best friend Mohammed Shoaib Ali (Ishaan Khatter). Both come from dirt poor families and are facing few options to improve their lot unless they migrate to a city (like the women in All We Imagine As Light), or abroad. Indeed, Shoaib has just turned down a chance to work in Dubai."
The film screened at Cannes and drew comparisons with All We Imagine As Light, but remains distinct as a realist narrative about impoverished young men from a rural northern Indian town. Director Neeraj Ghaywan received mentorship from Martin Scorsese during script development and editing. The story centers on Chandan Kumar, a Dalit, and his friend Mohammed Shoaib Ali, both from dirt-poor families confronting few options beyond migration. They await police academy exam results for nearly a year; Shoaib takes menial work selling water purifiers and faces anti-Muslim prejudice when pursuing sales. A restrained musical score highlights performances and cinematography, producing an emotionally rich study of friendship.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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