Go see Piku. It’s a lovely film. (mild spoilers ahead)
I would have been disappointed had it been any less lovely since its by Shoojit Sircar, the uber talented Director of Vicky Donor. Vicky Donor is arguably one amongst the great Bollywood films of recent times.

As a tribute and a as a token of appreciation, I would like to start with a shout out to the film’s scriptwriter ( who is also the story writer and dialogue writer) – Juhi Chaturvedi. The script she has written is nuanced as it is naughty, sensitive as it is sprightly. All in all, its all very soulful. As a consequence, we have got in Piku intimately textured characters going through life quibbling and contemplating about an awkward issue (motions and the lack of it), alongside some minor predicaments relating to love, life, duty, freedom, marriage.
(Juhi Chaturvedi was also responsible for the story, the script and the dialogues for Vicky Donor.)

The subtext, which comes through rather gently, is that when there is love, there is love. And then you either noisily accept or calmly acquiesce to the unpredictable even preposterous demands of the other. Because of this love, you don’t judge your ageing Parents. You accept and treat a 70 year old Dad as baby, just as he did you, when you were one many years ago.

And there’s another observation- in any relationship it’s the the unreasonable person who controls the relationship! In this case the relationship is between the father daughter duo, admirably (whats new?) played by Amitabh and Deepika.

Amitabh is endearing even while portraying senility, and Deepika is feisty while being fervent. The film starts with their bickering and continues all along in their “eventful” road trip. Punctuated with gems from Irfan Khan, the driver.

Kudos to Shoojit Sircar who is courageous and unpretentious. Courageous to make a film in which not much happens ( people just talk); a film where there’s plenty of drama and thankfully no melodrama; one that’s honest as its humble. He makes us smile, never cringe, and has created a film that tugs at our hearts.
It’s not an arthouse film, there’s no snobbery or intellectual arrogance. ( love those films too!).
The end is a bit abrupt, but like someone wrote, “ Life is meant to be lived. And death is meant to be instant, painless, satisfying. Just like, well, shit.”

If I liked Piku this much, I wonder how my Bengali friends are responding to it. With a four and a half stars and plenty of chai discussions I am sure! And one can imagine why.
If were to rate it it would be 3.75 stars (excuse the decimals.) One loved the film, but still remain a bigger fan of Vicky Donor and Queen.