Main Vaapas Aaunga – A Review

• Director: Imtiaz Ali
• Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Diljit Dosanjh, Vedang Raina, Sharvari Wagh, Rajat Kapoor, Vinod Nagpal, Manish Chaudhuri, Banita Sandhu
• Writers: Imtiaz Ali, Nayanika Mahtani
• Cinematography: Sylvester Fonseca
• Editor: Aarti Bajaj
• Music: A. R. Rahman

  

(The aim and intention of my reviews is to critique and recommend while not revealing the whole story to enjoy the movie when seen. But minor details have been divulged for a proper review!)

 

Main Vaapas Aaunga is an emotional story set against the backdrop of the 1947 partition, exploring how political decisions and shifting borders change the course of lives and leave emotional scars on hearts and souls.

 The heart of the story is 95-year-old Ishar Singh/Keenu, portrayed by the exceptional Nasiruddin Shah.  Following a stroke, he can't let go of life, yearning for something in his past. His grandson Nirvair, a struggling British NRI played by Diljit Dosanjh, endeavors to piece together the fragments of his grandfather's history. Through Keenu’s imaginatively interesting dementia mixed delirious outbursts and delusional recollections, Nirvair strives to bring closure to his grandfather's unfinished tale of love and loss.

The narrative slices between past and present in a nonlinear pattern, showcasing a beautiful pre-partition romance depicted in the yesteryear-style courtship between Keenu (Vedang Raina) and Jia/Afsana (Sharvari Wagh) and the chaos of partition forcing him to cross borders and how his promise of “mai wapaas aaunga” haunts him. In parallel, Nirvair (Diljith Dosanjh), researches to piece together his grandfather's past and attempts stand-up comedic descriptions of partition and the historical context, trying to engage the new generation of audiences with an understanding and empathy of partition and its lingering impact.

 

Director Imtiaz Ali is brilliant in his direction. He has a sensitive take on depicting the partition story; unlike other movies that evoke nationalism and religious discord, he metaphors the violence, chaos, hatred, and riots at partition through imaginative elements like alien forces, Martians, and Hitler.  This unique approach makes one reflect on the roots of hatred and underscores its senseless and inhuman nature!

 Naseeruddin Shah is a phenomenal actor who delivers an enigmatic performance wholly engrossing the audience even while portraying a character on the brink of death. His acting prowess is so amazing; he is undoubtedly one of the finest actors in Bollywood.  Diljit Dosanjh, besides being a looker, has shown considerable growth in his acting. Vedang Raina was surprisingly good as the naïve boy in love and reminiscent of Ranveer Singh's spark of his early movies. Sharvari as Afsana brings her charm, emulating the yesteryear Bollywood heroines' aura in her small role. 

 

"Main Vaapas Aaunga"  is definitely a must-watch movie.  Now showing on Netflix.