India Lockdown

Talking about the performances, Ayushmann is evergreen and moves the character arc as beautifully as ever. His efforts on the body language deserve a special mention as he retains an easy-to-miss "nerd posture" throughout the film and his comic timing during confrontational scenes is just phenomenal. Shweta basu is a gem of an actor who deserves every superlative in the dictionary. More than her acting, it's her screen presence which is so bright that sometimes it even manages to almost eclipse a fantastic actor like Prateik. Aahana is fantastic in her liberal mother role but she isn't given enough to chew in the first half. Aahana does well as the self-possessed but still figuring herself out character. Special mentions for the supporting actors who plays the teen girl and the nurse.

Following Covid-19 pandemic worldwide, life wasn't same after government imposed lockdown nationwide in India in the beginning of 2020. The lockdown had a severe effect on the livelihoods of migrant workers and life came to almost a stand still when people were confined to their homes. The effect was adverse to completely cover in a movie.

The film focuses on a smaller social strata that were effected by the lockdown, including prostitutes, a workaholic pilot, youngsters trying to lose their virginity, an elderly man awaiting to visit his pregnant daughter, and a migrant worker. The film delves much into the world of prostitutes during lockdown, and in a way it seems Bhandarkar attempts to create more of a voyeuristic movie to lure the viewers than actually depict the plight of lockdown. However, the film achieves in depicting the hardship of migrant workers left in destitute to walk days to their villages, which appears much emotional in the screen. Overall, the film has its moments but is unable to leave the voyeuristic aspect of Bhandarkar movies, making it unsuitable to be watched with your family.

Rating: 2 stars out of 4.

India Lockdown review :

We are probably the first (and hopefully last) generation to have experienced a disease induced country wide lockdown- something which taught us to work from/at home and made online communication a part of our everyday lives. Only this lockdown which started on the fateful evening of 24th March and extended till mid June 2020 wasn't as kind for the lower middle and labour class who lost their bread and butter...and some their lives!!

Madhur Bhandarkar, acclaimed for his realistic cinema, chooses this grim chapter which will invariably find a place in Indian history. " Bomb blasts, 26/11 aur floods mein bhi Mumbai chalta raha...yeh Corona naam ki kya musibat hai!!" goes the lament which accurately reflects the mood of that time. Indeed, the Covid lockdown was something unprecedented, harsh but highly essential as a precautionary measure.

Bhandarkar chooses to showcase all classes of the society to reflect how the covid lockdown impacted every Indian. There is a senior citizen (Prakash Belawadi) stuck in locked up Mumbai when he was about to travel to Hyderabad for his daughter's delivery. A migrant couple (Prateik Babbar- Sai Tamhankar) lose their jobs in Mumbai and have no option but to walk all the way to their hometown in Bihar. A lady pilot (Aahana Kumra) befriends her new "virgin" neighbour and they get close in this lockdown state. Lastly, a Kamathipura prostitute (Shweta Basu Prasad) runs out of business and devises a new trick to earn some grub - phone sex.

The screenplay is fast paced as well as relatable to a significant extent. The hardships faced by every strata is accurately explored by Bhandarkar without making the movie appear like a mundane documentary. His trademark flair for mixing commercial elements in to realism is evident once again. The climax where all the sub plots merge together seamlessly is also commendable.

Bhandarkar has the knack of extracting the best from his ladies and he doesn't disappoint here as well. Shweta Basu Prasad is simply outstanding, Sai Tamhankar is utterly convincing as the hapless poor migrant coping with blatant passes made at her and lastly, Aahana Kumra springs a pleasant surprise with her superlative act reminding you of the seductive Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate (1967). I wish the film was bold enough to consumate her love...but alas!!

Prateik Babbar is another well etched character and the way he rummages through garbage for a piece of food is gut wrenching. Certain scenes create a shock value like an ambulance used by a vile corporator for sex and a well to do dude casually dismissing covid as a sham dying of the same in no time.

All in all, India Lockdown is certainly worth a one time watch. It is a near accurate account of all the breaking news we saw and read in those turbulent times when survival was more important than personal progress. Fortunately, we all lived to see a film made on it today. Cheers for that!

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.

The movie was covering the story of different sections of people from different stratas of Indian society during the lockdown phase. The story is really close to the very reality. Lives of those sections are also shown by the makers who are generally ignored. Madhav's scene is deeply emotional and generates a lot of sympathy for the couple. Immediate shift of emotions happens from one scene to the next. Its a good story which has shown many things in shorter span of time. The end was also very happy.

Talking about the characters, outstanding acting by all the actors and Mehrunisa has truly stolen the show with her acting skills. Want India Lockdown 2.0 as well.

However, the film is also marred with noticeable flaws - the most conspicuous of which is the disappointingly terrible and distracting background score by Prateik, specially in the first half. Even his quirky music in the first half is harsh on the ears and often too loud when it's in juxtaposition with dialogues for us to be able to hear what the actors are speaking. The comedy writing in the first half tries too hard and the punchline setups are often either too predictable or just don't land. Madhur Bhandarkar is in far more control of the screenplay in the second half and that includes the subtle and unobvious jokes which work really well in it. Watch out for the Zalima moment - easily the funniest sequence of the film.