Alfred Hitchcock, talking about Suspense, said a couple of things that I am reminded of “Always make the audiences suffer as much as possible.” And “There is no terror in a bang, only in the anticipation of it.”
I watched Tahaan this Friday and I experienced what Hitchcock had said. I was suffering every moment of the story from the time Idris gives Tahaan a task. There absolutely was nothing that happened in a bang, so I died anticipating….
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Personally, after a really long time I have seen a movie that cleansed my senses – creative and social. Santosh Sivan has told the story of Tahaan in a very simplistic way, portraying otherwise mundane events of everyday life in the valley. But hidden in the simplicity and everyday activities are the truths that are startling.
Though guns, terrorists, deaths, fears are everyday part of this simple story supported by some amazing cinematography, one notices it but is not alarmed by these truths. The innocence of Tahaan, his quest to get his Birbal – the donkey back is what one enjoys. But all this changes slowly, as Tahaan meets Idrees and the story takes a small deviation. The beauty of this is that nothing is sudden, that’s what makes you feel desperate, helpless and completely stripped off your facades – while you sit and watch in your seats, holding your popcorn. Wanting to know what Tahaan does, thinking of the various consequences of his actions, wishing that he does not do all of those things you are thinking, wondering how an innocent act can be a curse to mankind!
Along with the main story of an innocent little boy and his donkey, the story manages to, though subtly; paint a picture of the lives that people lead in the valley. Missing husbands, frequent visits to the army office, dead bodies, and children playing terrorist games, Kashmiri Pundits living fearful lives underground – prisoners in their own home… It reminded me of that common essay topic in school – I cried for a pair of shoes till I met a man with no legs. I guess, I complain less about things now.
What I hate about the movie is that it is a small event from the ‘issue’ called Kashmir. A convenience for some, a lifestyle for some other, a living for many and a way of life for the rest.
What I love about the movie is that this event in the heartland of Kashmir ends on a positive note. A sign of hope? Perhaps!
Tahaan for me is mastery in storytelling, a landmark film in recent years!
Tahaan means – merciful, tolerant and even cursed.
