Thanks Maa

Its film's like these which tell you that movie-making in the land of bollywood is headed in the right direction...

After a myriad of movies with glam star cast and no storyline, here's a movie which has got its priorities right. With a strong storyline and crisp film-making, Thanks Maa is a touching tale based on a relationship which most take for granted-- mother and child. The beauty of the film lies in the way it highlights the issue of abandoning infants, using ironies found rampant in our daily lives. At times the reality it portrays seems a bit too harsh to believe, but overall, the issue is handled beautifully, without making judgements or imposing moralities.

Wonderful performances by Shams and his cronies. (The National Award well deserved in his case.) Superb settings, amazing cinematography. There are moments which the movie could have done without, but then again, it might also have to do with the fact that most scenes and settings shown in the movie are stuff that we, who live above the poverty line, will never have seen or imagined. With settings like these it is easy to often fall prey to stereotyping, but thankfully, Thanks Maa has stayed clear of such mistakes. The dialogues are a little too harsh at times, but emotions run high and its easy to feel for the plight of the children. Maybe a little shaky on the technical front, but overall, this movie is a must watch...