Karwaan is a light-hearted, breezy movie which stays a little longer with you even after you have made a content exit from the theaters.
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala and Priti Rathi Gupta
Screenwriter: Bejoy Nambiar
Cinematography Avinash Arun
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar among others
The movie opening scene sets the atmosphere that yes, it is definitely a road trip movie. The movie begins with the protagonist’s grumpy father going for a bus trip. He’s seen scribbling untidily on his notepad. His seat partner tries to indulge him in a conversation, but he prefers to be left alone. From that it’s pretty clear that they are likely to set the affect the movie in due course.
Cut to Dulquer’s character as Avinash is a regular IT guy who works in an unfriendly environment. The hostile condition under a very bossy boss in the office makes him lament his job and we the audience can relate to it much and our instinct feeling unconsciously states, “dude, leave the job” but a wide-angle shot on the after-effects of unemployment adds a satirical humor to it.
Returning home, Avinash receives the news of his father’s death and is asked to collect the coffin from Kochi airport. The audience is intrigued how unaffected he seems with such a shocking news. The sequence of the flashbacks of Avinash’s life then fills up the not-so-friendly-relationship between the father and son.
Avinash takes Shauqat (played by Irrfan Khan)’s help and his very dream-like turquoise van to collect the coffin. The scene builds up with a swap of Avinash’s and another woman’s coffin and that’s where the road trip starts.
Avinash’s generosity is evident when he agrees to travel from Kochi to Ooty just to give the woman’s coffin that’s left to him and also agrees to pick Tanya (the deceased woman’s granddaughter). What follows after the trio meets is surely a much needed experience for the three of them. None of them wants to be in that situation still they make an enduring ride with lots of chit-chats, bumpy rides (literally) making you rolling out of laughter.
Characters:
Shauqat is the charm of the movie without a doubt. Every scene he is in makes the audience laugh out loud. Be his shayari, tuta phuta english and at some scenes, even his “not-so-modernistic” point of views.
Avinash’s character was without a doubt very enduring. His stiff relationship with his father is one all could relate if one has been through that emotion where parent’s “think” what they think right for us is the only right thing. Avinash wanted to pursue his passion but couldn’t as his father did not approve of it.
Tanya’s rebellion character as a modern, carefree young college student was very relatable. Though a some scenes I felt it to be a bit OTT, I liked her.
I would also like to add that another character important was the background score as well as the timely timing of the songs. Some of them reminded me of Piku, but these songs have been playing on loop since I’ve heard them and I’m loving each of it very much! Especially Heartquake and Chota sa Fasana. The lyrics are just soooo good.
Web of word’s Perception: I felt, the movie tried to portray that every person who crosses our life has a role to play, somehow or the other. Also, I agree to the fact that film tried to portray sometimes, more than the destination, its the journey that plays a life-changing part in order to reach that destination. We find so much about ourselves.
Rating: 8/10. 1 point entirely for Shauqat’s jokes 😛
If you are still in dilemma whether to watch Karwaan or not, please don’t think another second. Book your tickets ASAP. This is one movie which you’ll definitely want to watch. To absorb the emotions of the movie really well, do watch alone, it’s very good!
