I adore independent films, and had all the reason to be excited about this crowd-sourced drama. But, it is made on such a childish note that it looks like a mess.



Diya (Saara Nahar) and Prakhar (Prakhar Morchhale) are two school- going siblings born to irritable parents in the city of Mumbai. Their mother is one careless and dominating personality who won't let her husband's mother come and live with them. Tired of the eternal wait to meet their grandmother who lives in Goa, the duo set out one day, unprepared and impromptu, with the hope of spending time with their granny who would make sweets for them.



What is a very novel approach to showcase the ridiculous lifestyle decisions we make involving our family members, the film uses subtlety as its biggest power. There is enough material for one to ponder about life's tragedies and especially about their grandmothers, but there is not one remarkable moment in the film. Except for the lady who plays the granny, none of the cast perform well. It was very clear that they were following the previously-read script without any practice or imagination. Director Praveen Morchhale manages to write some good points, but his shoddy direction spoils the broth. Despite the actors' poor performance, the photography could have saved the film, but thank the cash-strapped production which provides zero cinematic support to the feature.



Except the music and a reminder that we should always care for our parents and grandparents, there is no one thing special about this film. And please note that the film's distribution was crowd- sourced, not the actual film production. Further, Morchhale tries to cram too many topics into the 75- minute narrative. And, as a result, loses focus on the core subject, which is placed on the table with a cranky, kneejerker ending.



BOTTOM LINE: Praveen Morchhale's Barefoot to Goa has an interesting idea at its base, but is built with low quality materials and rusted equipment. Read the synopsis online and forever forget about the film.



Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES