Manjri Varde

Heartbreakingly realistic. It quietly exposes the callousness that reigns in our society. Understated and underrated it leaves one with a deeply heavy heart. Balan excels. As do all the actors especially the unknown ones.

Beautifully capturing an era in Mumbai, of lost gharanas, quietly spectacular gurus and their disciples, losing one’s faith and maybe finding some kind of a poetic balance in life itself. The little halls for classical performances, the audiences that revered the music, the chawl room of the guru, and finally, the absolutely unforgettable voice of Sindhutai speaking out her heart and sharing her deepest wisdom, even though we realise that she came from a murky background but blossomed into the purity of a lotus! As some famous lyrics are sung by a street singer on a train, it leaves one with an aching heart, nostalgia and the sweetness of an undeniable sorrow. An absolute gem of an haunting melody. Thank you, Chaitanya. ♥️