Masaan-Movie Review

Film: Maasan
Director: Neeraj Ghaywan
Star Cast: Sanjay Mishra, Richa Chadda, Vicky Kaushal, Shweta Tripathi

If I get to choose two best movies of 2015, Maasan is one among two, the other one is Kaaka Muttai. This review was long due because I got myself busy in accomplishing other to-do things of the year.

Set in the holy town of Varanasi, two stories run paralally.  First, Devi's(Richa Chadda) sexual encounter is busted by cops that leads to her lover committing suicide in the bathroom of the dingy hotel room. This mishap drags her father, Vidhyadhar Pathak (Sanjay Mishra) into vicious web of blackmailing done by a corrupt, menacing police officer.

Second, Deepak(Vicky Kaushal), a young, lower-caste boy whose family works in ghat cremating dead bodies. He is pursuing civil engineering and dreams of a better life. He falls in love with an upper-caste girl, Shaalu(Shwetha Tripathi). Not willing to succumb to social hierarchy, Shaalu reassures her commitment towards the relationship. Here the fate mocks at them pretty cruelly.

Chadda plays a headstrong woman, who is neither afraid nor regretful, takes on the societal snide remarks and smirks singlehandedly. She wants to move out of this small town, quoting "small place, small mentality". She is educated, wants to pursue higher studies, financially independent who refuse to take all blames on herself for an act committed by two.

Sanjay mishra is a phenomenon playing Devi's father, a retired teacher/shopkeeper from conservative background, scared of being scandalized.  He compromises on his values by sending young kid working for him into a dangerous game of coin-collecting from the Ganges. He and his daughter have their own issues even though that is a matter of past now regarding the circumstance in which wife/mother died respectively. 

The amateur love blooming between young couple melts your heart. Friend request in Facebook, the long bike ride, late night phone conversation, coyness are sure to make you to walk down the memory lane. The sweetness between Deepak and Shwetha is top-notch. And the immense pain of losing the loved one will have you in tears.

It is unbelievable it is director's debut movie. The performance is extraordinary by each and everyone. Kudos to the casting team for this. An electrifying performance by Sanjay Mishra as an hapless father. He is not an actor, he is natural. Varanasi is picturized beautifully especially the ghat part. It is not an easy movie to watch. It compels you to think about love, loss, greed, fear, guilt, and most importantly death. It touches serious issues of sexual oppression, casteism, gender discrimination, and death on many levels.

Do yourself a favour. Watch this awe-inspiring movie for its sheer brilliance and heart-touching story.

PS: When I heard Sooraj Pancholi won Filmfare best debutant award, I was befuddled whether to cry or laugh. Vicky Kaushal of Maasan truly deserves the award, nonetheless he has won million hearts with intense performance.