‘Faraaz’ movie review: Hansal Mehta’s film hangs between hope and hell and tackles prejudice

Eschewing sensationalism, the narrative is based on a long night in July 2016 when Bangladesh came to a standstill, and the world watched in shock as five wayward youths burst into a high-end restaurant in Dhaka with ammunition. get off They killed foreigners and took local people as hostages and spoke about atrocities against people of their religion. But as the suffocating night unfolds, we discover that these are basically thugs who haven’t been fully brainwashed yet, and they’re gunning for their half-baked ideals of one-religion supremacy. have come out to show.

One of the hostages is Faraz Hussain (newcomer Zahan Kapoor), a privileged child of an influential family who is given a free pass by the leader of the militant group Nebras (Aditya Rawal). But Faraz decides not to follow his friends. The conversation between the two forms the crux of the story. When the head of the terrorist group asks Faraz why he doesn’t see what is happening in Palestine or what the US is doing in West Asia, Faraz agrees with these issues. He says there is a lot wrong with this world but then asks if this is the answer.

Writers Raghav Kakkar, Kashyap Kapoor, and Ritesh have created a sense of doom without playing to the gallery. The protagonist’s language is modern, but the thinking is decidedly medieval, which makes for an unsettling watch. Whether it is a Hindu chef preparing. Sehri For pre-dawn hostages, or one of the militants who objects to the use of perfume to treat a hostage’s wound (because it contains alcohol and is therefore against their faith), writing a It tends towards an ideology that is devoid of compassion. Yet Nebras comes across as a guy who has compassion for the kids next door and hasn’t lost touch with humanity. In his quest for heaven, at one point he hopes to emerge from this living hell like Mehta. Shahid Set in 2012, but when he puts a gun in a kid’s hand, we see in the dark. This mediocrity is more disturbing to behold than blood-spattered corpses in a swampy restaurant.

We are so indoctrinated in films about terrorism that we expect boys who are born with radical ideas and willpower to take a bullet from a swing. So, when we see Google’s race warrior (Sachin Lalwani) who fakes bravery and doesn’t lose his fear of death, it takes time to process.

Then there is the silent Faraz that finds its voice at night. The beauty of the writing is that both boys age without detracting from the character. The writers are ably supported by cinematographer Pratham Mehta; He takes the audience to the heart of the crisis without being exploitative.

On the other side of the hostage drama are unprepared but motivated police officers and parents eager to ensure their children’s safety. Faraz’s mother Simin (Juhi Babbar) is the loudest. In the beginning, she looks like an entitled badass but as the film progresses and she is stripped of her privilege, we get to see a helpless mother. Returning to the screen after a long hiatus, Juhi brings out the courage and grace of the character with a masterful performance, and her speech at the end – which reminds us of her theatrical practice – leaves a lump in the throat. Gives The right casting adds layers to the night. Zahan gets Faraz’s accent right and Aditya as Nibaris is a revelation.

On the way, Faraz Becomes a cautionary tale as we can see the rise of religious chauvinism even in our own backyard, where intolerance for others is growing to violent proportions. It jolts liberals out of their protective slumber to take a stand in front of the Good Muslim vs. Bad Muslim debate, which is supported by those who support violence in the name of religion. Not wanting to be a dramatic blockbuster on Friday, Faraz There is a pain that will gradually grow on the wise.

Faraz is currently playing in theaters.