We often hear people say “Dream on”. But when we actually do, the quip is inevitably, “don’t be such a dreamer”. I can summarize a 27-year-old woman’s plight in this one-line response to Roya. Part of the industry screenings at the ongoing Film Bazaar held virtually for the second year in a row, Roya is helmed by Ketan Pedgaonkar.
The protagonist Roya (Haley Thakkar) sells dreams that come in small boxes, and are meant for wide-eyed children. When a little girl asks who her role model is, Roya quickly takes a picture of her, sticks it inside the box, and tells the child to open it. The girl is thrilled to bits. But parents don’t want to buy these boxes. And Roya’s despair multiplies, although she tries hard to convince them that when their children are struggling, a picture of a role model inside the dream box will literally spark their imagination. Nothing can be a greater encouragement than this!
Beaten and trampled upon with no takers for her magical contraption, she is further devastated when her own “hero”, her elderly father, who has always advocated perseverance, kills himself. Roya and her neighbour, Sahil (Suraj Singh Gaur), go to their family home, where a group of relatives gather. Her mother is dry, she has no brother, sister and her husband. They simply cannot understand why an old man (played by Randhir Khare) would want to end his life at this juncture.
The film has a twist ending but it is dotted with wit and a lot of sarcasm. When Roya’s brother-in-law wants to know what Sahil is doing for a living, he replies that he plays music. The old man is biting when he replies, “At the wedding?” The funny scene begins with Roya being prompted to seek Sahil’s help after he taunts her for turning up the full blast volume of her music system.
Written by Thakkar, the film is sometimes off and somewhat unfocused – especially the third act in which Roya and her family gather after the patriarch’s death. The editing leaves a lot to be desired with the result that there are so many parts that could have been excised. But many Indian directors – I guess – hate a freelance editor.
Vrushali Telang’s short film, Beena, manages to stay focused. In 10 minutes, it gives an amazing idea of what religious prejudices can be like in India. Bena (Zuhaina Ahsan) is a housewife, and her dream is to educate her daughter and help her rise in life. But when Beena is unable to pay the fees on time, the school says that it will not allow the girl to take the exam. Bena desperately asks for a loan from the lady of the house where she works, but theft and misunderstanding create such an uproar that she is sacked. But was this the real reason for leaving his job? The climax is great and powerful. It knocks on your face.
(Writer, commentator and film critic Gautman Bhaskaran has been covering Film Bazaar for many years.)
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