Filmmaker Kaushik Ganguly always has a knack of narrating stories of the common man; of those who you would meet on a daily basis but wouldn't know about their struggles or the hardships that they have been through, tucked neatly behind a ready smile.
Ganguly's film 'Shabdo' won critical appreciation for bringing to the fore the life of folly artists. His 'Apur Panchali' narrated the story of a man who faced stardom early in life thanks to Ray's 'Pather Panchali'. His new film 'Khaad' is all about self realization and accepting life the way it is.
At its beginning, the film appears to be based on a road trip. A simple story of a group of travellers who are left stranded in a deserted forest when their bus falls into the cliff(Khaad in Bengali) takes an unexpected turn later. The 16 travellers are unknown to each other but in a matter of hours they became each others' confidants, keeping aside the physical and religious disparities that exist between them.
Each individual has an interesting past, each looking for a solution, an answer on that journey, that all of them find after the accident. An actress is guilty of ignoring her brother with special needs, a mother wants her daughter to fulfill her own childhood dream which till date remains unfulfilled, a girl wants her parents to accept the man she loves, a son wants to fulfill his dying mother's last wish. Each have a mission to complete as they embark on the journey and find themselves confessing to crimes in their life earlier on a night which they are forced to share with each other.
'Khaad' celebrates humanity in its true sense. At a time when we are so caught up living a life of pretensions and deadlines, 'Khaad' makes you yearn to sit back and retrospect and accept the faults. Because to go forward, it is important to accept the past-whatever it has been.
There are scenes which celebrate simplicity and humanity. A scene where the challenged brother gives his half-eaten biscuit to the food pool that the group organizes to survive the night in the valley is bound to make you teary-eyed. Or for that matter, the scene where the dutiful son confesses of having no life of his own because he has been tending to his ailing mother for years will truly touch your heart.
In its two hour run time, the film keep you engaged mostly. There are though, a few scenes which seem a little unnecessary. Also, there are some very visible flaws in the production quality. But the film in entirety is so gripping that these flaws can easily be overlooked. A neat, simple narrative without too many subplots helps in making the film a breezy affair.
While many films have earlier celebrated the spirit of humanity, 'Khaad' gives it a new perspective. It may leave you disturbed, it may bring a smile at its conclusion, but it will surely make you think about your own life.
Watch 'Khaad' because such good cinema seldom comes our way.
Rating: 4/5
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