Udaan - Talking Frames

I have always felt that there are no "good" films or "bad" films. There are either thoughtfully made films or thoughtlessly made films. And I would definitely place Udaan (Vikramaditya Motwane, 2010) in the former category. This is mainly because the director has paid a lot of attention to detail in this film. And "attention to detail" is not something that we get to see very often in most of Hindi cinema. Motwane here makes sure that every frame of his movie speaks to us - even if his actors in it have no lines, or even if they are not present in it at all.

For instance, there is a scene in the film when Rohan's father, tells him in a dunken stupor that he looks like a girl. When I thought over this, it did seem true that the actor, Rajat Barmecha, does have feminine features, which stand in direct contrast to his father's very "alpha-male" physical appearence. Where Rohan has big, round eyes and bow-shaped lips, his father is made to look almost like Hitler, complete with hard features and a moustache. Yet, Bhairon Singh's pronounced manliness is only a mask that hides his inner insecurity and waekness. On the other hand, Rohan comes out as a strong 18-year old, who his able to break free even in the face of trauma. Thus, Rohan and his father are etched out as direct foils of each other, not just emotionally, but physically as well.

This use of the visual to convey a character's emotions and state of mind, or to set the mood occurs elsewhere in the film too.

Most of the initial scenes of the film lay a lot of emphasis on Rohan lugging his heavy trunk after him - in his hostel room, up the stairs of his own home. This tells us that the boy does not have an easy life. He carries a lot of "baggage", which he will have to shed in the course of the film so that his own dreams can take flight later. So, he goes through a process of the proverbial trial by fire in this father's steel factory in order to "mould" himself into a strong and self-reliant individual.

Also, the house Rohan lives in has a barbed wire fencing around it, which is the focus of many shots in this film. This is an obvious reflection of the relationships that the people living inside the home share, owing to the father's belligerent attitude.

This kind of visual articulation must require some careful planning, which is why I said earlier that Udaan is thoughtful cinema. But mostly, if you are able to live the emotional experience of the film's protagonist along with her/him, you've got your paisa vasool and much more.