A mute since birth, she would still have no problem in finding a good husband who would care for her, were it not for her horoscope which clearly indicates that her husband would die within a short time of their marriage. Uma is an orphan who lives with her uncle. Arguably Mukherji’s finest illusion since Autograph, Uma is a reminder that, in spite of the Pujas and the yearly date with Salman Khan at the cinemas, perhaps the greatest illusion a person lives and dies for is one that remains off-camera: hope.In 19th century Bengal, superstitions and orthodox religious practices are still the order of the day. There are so many scenes within Uma that are memorable, and most of them will probably be dissected thoroughly in the days to come. It reminded me of a similar sequence in Zoya Akhtar’s Luck By Chance, where different actors keep giving hilarious refusals to Rishi Kapoor’s cantankerous producer. But my favourite bit was the part where different directors are requested to direct the fake Puja. In a post- Zulfiqar world, you expect Prosenjit, Dev and Nusrat to turn up in your film. With Pratim D Gupta’s Shaheb Bibi Golaam, a terrific soundtrack in Aami Ashbo Phirey, and more roles coming up in Ahare Mon, Ek Je Chhilo Raja and Byomkesh Gotro, I think it is safe to surmise we’re all in the middle of the Anjanaissance. As Brahmanand, the washed-up cynical who seeks redemption in crafting a “masterpiece” for someone he does not know, Dutt is heartbreakingly real. And if anyone still doubts Anirban Bhattacharya’s finesse as an actor, they should watch the scene where he breaks down in front of Sara’s Uma when she offers him prasad.īut if the film’s hero is Mukherji, the hero of the film-within-the-film is undoubtedly Anjan Dutt. That one scene in the dead of night with Jisshu and her had more chemistry than what Ravi Kinagi could conjure up with them in laat year’s Jio Pagla. I loved Srabanti in that little role as Mariam Dastidar a.k.a. Abhijit Guha, Sujan Mukherjee, Rudranil Ghosh, Apratim Chatterjee, Amborish are too good. But I enjoyed the performances by the ensemble cast more.
Sara Sengupta and Jisshu Sengupta shine the brightest in the film. Soumik Halder ‘s camerawork is top-notch, but the editing is a bit patchy, especially in the Switzerland leg of the film. My favourite remains Jaago Uma, that plays near the climax of the film. You keep cheering on the washed-up director Brahmanand as he marshals the Avengers his production team to come up with the best illusion possible, even as they grapple with their biggest enemy: Thanos Time.Īnupam Roy’s soundtrack is terrific. Mukherji takes advantage of this, choosing to focus on the ensemble cast as they grapple with the logistics of creating a fake world for a little girl. The fake Durga Puja recreated in the film seems believable, because every Bengali living in Kolkata knows the ideal Puja checklist. It reminds us that at the end of the day, even the most cynical and supposedly-tainted hearts are capable of possessing a modicum of goodness. But at another level, it is also a tribute to a city, and a community. And then later, both men team up with other committed individuals in order to stage the biggest mirage of all: an entire city engaged in the one festival that defines it globally.Īt one level, then, UMA is essentially a father-daughter story. A director, who has fallen on hard times personally and professionally, tries to operate under the assumption that he can still make it work. And what are these illusions here? A young father tries to keep his usual cheery demeanour intact in front of his daughter, who is dying before his eyes. Heists operate not only on the basis of daredevilry and brains, but also on the basis of the perfect illusions. In fact, it is, in one sense, a heist film. Srijit Mukherji’s latest film UMA is all about illusions. The actual effect of the same is not known–but the illusion of having found a sense of closure for painful memories is what keeps us all going.
Someone had once said, “Great art has the ability to heal.” Where time and circumstance fail to heal past wounds inflicted by life, art often acts as the panacea we crave for.