Review of Udaan (2010) by Matthew B — 20 Jan 2011

I know I was supposed to love Udaan. It was supposed to be so good that it was to go to the Oscars. But I didn't. I liked it though. The movie gets off to a promising start with what looks like the story of four very interesting boys going through their naughty rebellious phase in a boarding school. But then they get kicked out and the story takes a very dark turn.

One of the boys (the main protagonist played capably by Rajat Barmecha) comes back to an abusive and oppressive father, who he has not seen for the last eight years, and who has no idea how to communicate with him and ends up trying to discipline him through relentless physical and mental put downs. To add to the dire circumstances at home he has a six year old son by another marriage (played brilliantly by Aayan Boradia, you just want to scoop him up and take him home) with whom he gradually bonds. The father crushes his dreams of becoming a writer and makes him go to engineering college and work in his forging factory in Jamshedpur. Ronit Roy is just brilliant as the confused autocratic small-town father. From here the story just loses it I thought. There are some scraggly alcoholic friends who seem on the verge of making a profound impact on Rohan...but that story just loses its thread. There is his relationship with his Uncle (played by Ram Kapoor, competent), who is equally oppressed by his father which is left underdeveloped. Anyways to cut a long story short (and believe me this film needs edits worth at least 30 minutes) we come to the conclusion -- which symbolises Udaan or flight...Another Indian new-age film which started out to be so promising and just ended up disappointing.