If you're not from Gujarat, there's a good chance you're not really known with the kite festival, or Uttarayan. Now the film isn't really about the kite festival, although if you wanted you could cut out a documentary out of the film itself. Based in the old town of Ahmedabad, it shows the life amdist the busy streets, beautifully presented age old architecture. The city's culture woven into the film. It neglects the developed part of the town, with high-rises and wide highways, and chooses to carefully bounds intself to the intricate markets and gullys. If you've ever been to such busy streets of Gujarat, you'd find resemblence.
It's about a son that moved away from his family to earn a fortune, visiting back along with his daughter to relive his childhood spent in those very streets. A girl brought up in Delhi, experiencing the life and culture and facing orthodox prejudices amongst a town way behind the time. A nephew struggling with gambling habits, having hard time accepting help and criticism coming from his uncle who was never there when his family needed him.
Beautifully shot and edited, with untimely dad-zooms to give you a nostalgic effect, film grains and flashes.
What I didnt like was the casting. Which i suppose was not really thought upon. I like Nawazuddin Siddiqui's work, but let's be honest, he can't play a Gujarati boy.
It's a good watch though. You wouldn't regret it.
