Saand Ki Aankh : Despite Flaws, Deserves To Be Seen!

Saand Ki Aankh (transl. Bull’s Eye) is a 2019 Indian biographical film directed by Tushar Hiranandani and produced by Anurag Kashyap, Reliance Entertainment and Nidhi Parmar.

The film features Bhumi Pednekar, Taapsee Pannu and Prakash Jha as main characters.

It is based on the lives of sharp shooters Chandro and Prakashi Tomar.

Kashyap, Reliance and Hiranandani bring forth their latest offering to theaters this Diwali

Tushar Hiranandani makes his debut wielding the directorial baton

A movie that closed the MAMI Festival yesterday and hit theaters today; does it deliver?

So first, let’s find out what doesn’t work?

The length of the movie slows down post Interval

• The melodramatic approach tends to obfuscate the approach this movie was trying to adapt
• It tends to veer from being a tear-jerker to a no holds barred minimalist narrative
• I guess, Hiranandani having been a writer on similar products got stuck with the approach
• The confusion also translates to the performance and production values at times
• The Music on the movie is strictly Ok; nothing worth writing home about!
• The songs might make you hum now and then, but the tunes don’t stick

Now coming to What Works?

• Saand Ki Aankh chooses to show case the strength these ladies carry in all aspects of their lives
• The narrative by the grand daughter gives an insight to the struggles of the ladies of the house
• It is fun to witness the Tomar sisters to discover their skill for sharp shooting
• The back ground score complements those scenes perfectly
• The Score also gives the movie a Tarantino-esque feel in scenes like these
• What starts as an attempt to give the daughters a better life translates to self discovery
• The Dialogues by Jagdeep Sidhu are incisive, razor sharp and border between wittiness and cutting edge insults
• They are down right effective in certain scenes while in other’s they induce that odd tear or two
• The screen play stays conventional
• The first half remains breezy and entertaining
• The shenanigans of the Daadi’s and the Daughters is fun to witness

The performances are the strongest suit of this movie

• The overall cast does justice including Vineet Kumar Singh
• He gives a supporting act that truly complements the lead performances
• Prakash Jha as the Patriarch of the Tomar Family is amazing
• He gives a truly vile performance
• In doing so, he ends up being the poster boy of Indian Patriarchy
• The statement above in itself is supposed to be a Compliment
• Coming to the lead actors now, well what can I say?
• P&P (Pannu and Pednekar) literally carry this movie on their shoulders
• They are convincing as the Daadi’s who discover life for themselves and their daughters
• Their attempts to fight all traditions and conventions is truly commendable
• Those ruses and tricks that wants them to keep pushing the barrier is what elicits that odd tear or two
• Both Pannu and Pednekar complement each other rather than out shine each other
• This works for them as their combined excitement is what keeps us glued to our seats
• In certain scenes, they are down right hilarious
• Their approach to adapting the mannerisms, quirks and dialects is spot on

The Final Act is a Cracker Jack of a Show

• That sequence itself deserves all the claps and whistles possible
• This Act is meant to be a Big Fuck You to Patriarchy
• It does manage to do that rightly so!
• And, A Big Fuck You to Patriarchy is essential

So, the Verdict?

Despite certain flaws, this Saand Ki Aankh deserves to be seen for:

• Pannu, Pednekar and Jha’s electrifying performances
• The Crisp Narrative and Searing Dialogues
• A Breezy First Half
• A Reminder that Women were, are and will always be the reason why we EXIST

I request all of you Cinema Going Audiences to forgo House full Theaters for something Made in China and focus on this Saand Ki Aankh!

Wishing Every One a Happy Diwali, let’s Target this Bull’s Eye…

Comments