How far will this film travel? Not sure. No one ever is. It is, however, a very interesting take worth the big screen, if not in the theatre, then ideally in the comfort of home since Netflix or Amazon very much allow such options.

This rotund, pot-bellied, subtly expressive Aamir brings the same earnestness to this film as he does to potboilers like ‘Dhoom 3’ or ‘Ghajini’.
He is, as he’s been appearing during Christmas for more than a few years now, the annual Santa Claus spreading cheer among Indian audiences, enticing you to enjoy a fine bout at the dangal, this time, and a wholly enjoyable ride in the theatre, yet again. Don’t think I need to say more. You won’t miss this anyway.

‘Befikre’ is fun watch, even though it is a bit fuzzy. There is much brightness on the screen, and breeziness in the air. Many might find the film rather fickle. But, that’s just the movie trying to reflect the lives all around us

A thriller set in a sleepy town called Chandannagar, off Kolkata—effectively capturing the Bong milieu; art-directed, and shot like a slightly dystopian dream. A mystery that unravels by the minute, without a moment to pause for breath, much less blink, which is saying a whole lot for a movie that’s still 2 hours plus.

The theme is totally relevant. The perspective, since female, is relatively unique. Alia plays a ‘filmmaker type’ herself, doing the serious grunt work — something we hardly acknowledge about women (or men) in showbiz. This is true for the director (Gauri Shinde) of this movie, of course. There is a touch of semi-autobiography in there.

This film remains so remarkably restrained throughout, drawing hardly any attention at all to the big moments — through the background score (which is laidback, slightly calypso), or creating a sense of occasion (most scenes are tonally the same) — that by the end of it, you genuinely wonder if this was a sports movie in the first place.

They narrate the classic underdog script of how passion and ‘zid’ (or perseverance) can take you places. But, that’s not all.

If you were to draw a parallel, this would perhaps be the rural equivalent of Pan Nalin’s upper-class, super-urbane ‘Angry Indian Goddesses’, a terrific ensemble pic, from last year. Of course we’ve been seeing very entertaining and explosive feminist films lately (‘Pink’ is an even more recent example). They only reflect an irreversible revolution on the Indian streets, homes, and workplaces. A fine sign of our times, I’d say, and if the arrow also leads to theatres, yes, it’s worth going, and supporting, for sure.

Does this film leave a similar impact? Frankly, I’d say, at the cost sticking the precious neck out — even more. And why’s that? Quite simply, because the terrible incident described in this film could happen to absolutely anyone of us, or our loved ones.

No filmmaker I know has managed to bring to life the filth, the underbelly, and, yes there is no other word, the sheer grime, of India on to the screen as Anurag Kashyap has (right from Paanch, down to Ugly). Indeed his contribution to films over the past couple of years (or even in the long-run) far exceeds his work as director. Is this even close to his best? Nope, perhaps because there is, in that sense, hardly anything new. Does it jolt you still? Hugely, for the most part.