JOKERTALK

BY KAVITA KANE

While the much-debated Dombivli Fast will be another Shwaas in terms of critical acclaim and the needed 'international feel', it's Aamhi Asu Ladke, (We Are The Loved Ones) which is drawing mass curiosity and a grudging appreciation at director Abhiram Bhadamkar's effort – that of clashing 'superior' intelligence to ordinariness; often ridiculed as plain stupidity by social mores.

The film opens with the pivotal scene where Shalini Buddhisagar (Neena Kulkarni), an exceptionally respected principal of an educational institute is being Enthusiastically congratulated for taking the college to greater heights, courtesy the more impressive number of heaving merit holders massed out that year. Like most of us, she has an unconcealed respect for the 'achievers'; the average can lead their dull, dreary lives. Why the equal treatment when Nature itself has not been fair in endowing intelligence to its creatures? This argument runs through the entire 145 minutes of the movie – long enough, but surprisingly not allowing the audience to shift restlessly in their seats!

Amidst a happy deluge of congratulatory phone calls, she receives one piece of news -that her son, Abhijit (Subodh Bhave) has attempted suicide – for having 'failed' yet again. The son's introduction as a lost, agonised soul is an extended suggestion that this is the one person who has forced the arrogant, self-righteous woman to forfeit 'failure' in her world of achievements and accomplishments. But she has her faltering moments. The childhood poverty that drove her to claw out her slice of success; or the insecurity of a morbid fear which goads her into being the hardnosed mom, petrified that her son will have to face the hardships, lest he does not excel. She is genuinely bewildered how a 'merit holder' like herself and her brilliant husband can have a son who can 'fail' in his studies?

The boy's more sympathetic mama, an antithesis of his worldly-wise sister and a music lover (who believes life is not a competition but a music concert to be appreciated and enjoyed!), meanwhile, takes the depressed boy to Kolhapur, hoping to wean him away from his mother's ambitious requests. The story goes on to tenderly tell how the completely devastated boy finds a purpose in his otherwise worthless, wasted life through one small, obscure school for the mentally challenged. He enters a new world of pain, suffering, understanding, sacrifice, dedication and most importantly, self-conviction.

His journey of self-discovery is the progression of Aamhi Asu Ladke, sans the heavy social sermons but the hope that we can be better persons if we have that little warmth, that kindliness towards the not-so-privileged. The poor little rich boy finds a startling similarity between himself and the mentally handicapped kids where parental apathy is as much a painful fact as societal contempt.

Neena Kulkarni as the ruthless mother is, as usual, sparkling and has saved the character from being stunted to a convenient caricature of the hard, pushy striver. Her gnawing fear - that her son might attempt to kill himself again - is a constant reminder that she has gone wrong somewhere as a 'good mother'. Subodh Bhave as the fraught, frantic son, in the throes of despair and self-flagellation, who eventually exorcises his anxieties, his insecurities and horrors in his brave, new world is the great surprise. But the ones to steal the show - and your heart away - are the special kids - all the eight of them, simply brilliant - all Children of not a lesser, but a Greater God.