MOVIE REVIEW – SAIRAT - MARATHI (2016)

Today we are here with a review of a most talked about Marathi movie of the year which has been acclaimed largely by the audiences and the film critics all over the country and which has grossed over 100 crore mark over the box office, the feat none of the Marathi movie has ever achieved. Yes, it is about Nagraj Manjule’s second directorial movie – SAIRAT (2016). This is the second directorial movie of Manjule after his National Award winning Marathi movie – Fandry (meaning Pig) that was mainly based on the cast based discrimination prevailing in the country in general and in Maharashtra in particular.

Unlike 'Fandry', 'Sairat' doesn't delve entirely on caste discrimination but it is based on honour killing. With the story revolving around two youngsters belonging to different socio-economical strata of the society, the discrimination angle is there. The difference here is more of hurt pride and fake honour that makes 'Sairat' what it is.

Manjule being a dalit has taken up a bold theme by showcasing a love story of a lower caste boy (fishermen family) with a upper caste (Patil) girl. There are numerous examples of such upper caste and lower caste love stories in bollywood movies but none has ever dared to talk about which caste both belong to.

Through this movie we can see the real villages and deep rooted caste based discrimination still existing in our society. Be it the village Patil's well where the rest of the villagers may swim only at the Patil family's pleasure, be it the birthday bashes of Patils’ children where the entire village is invited  and, last but not the least be it the depiction of 'lower caste' basti far from the main village  tells us the situation that exists in villages even today.

SAIRAT is a story of a young boy Parshya (Akash Thosa) of lower caste (fishermen) boy who falls in love with a upper caste (Patil) girl Archi (Rinku Rajguru) and their struggle to be unite despite all odds and opposition of the society. It also shows their inner struggle & love bond to be together despite their economically opposite backgrounds.

One of the strong points of the film is that it doesn't rely on known faces. Akash and Rinku both were debutantes but their performance is at par with seasoned actors. Nagraj Manjule, however, clearly knows how to tell his storymaking that is why, Sairat, being a nearly 3 hours saga hardly leaves you off the hook in the entire duration.

At the climax of the movie, in the name of fake honour both the lovers are killed mercilessly and the most painful is their infant kid who is left unaware of the misdeed happened to him. It also justifies the title of the movie SAIRAT which means Wild. This movie makes opponents of inter-caste marriage question themselves: What kind of casteism is this? The silence, especially at the end gives views space to think.

Star Peformance:-

Akash Thosar, being a debutant has played his role of lower caste fisherman youngster with perfection.

Rinku Rajguru, also being a debutant teenager played her role of a Patil girl with full dedication and perfection. She won a Special Jury award for her performance as she deserved the best actress prize for her performance of Archie’s changing emotions in her journey from a village to a city, from riches to rags, from a pampered child to a working woman.

What’s bad: It is a love story of teenage or 17-18 years young youths. The film maker must have taken this thing into consideration and have had taken some mature characters. Anyways, it is upto my way of thinking.

Final words:

This movie doesn’t need any English subtitles to understand Marathi because love has not language. So, never even think that it is a Marathi movie and can’t be understood. A must watch movie, I loved it.

My ratings for this movie is 4 out of 5 stars.

So keep following the page, good day till the next review

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