Hellaro

"Hellaro": The most talked about Gujarati Film in recent times.

"We won't stop living for the fear of dying."

In Gujarat, the popular Garba has always been a means of a self expression (a way to express anger, desire, love, happiness) and even the youngsters who play doing the Navratri may not be aware of it.

In the Gujarati film: Hellaro" (with English subtitles: very helpful in understanding the Garba lyrics in the film: its highlights) directed by Debutant Abhishek Shah (37) the film was the surprise winner of the prestigious National Award winner this year (the first Gujarati film to do so) and is also the opening film at Goa's International Film Festival and the winner of the Golden Lotus.

The 13 actresses who form the part of the Garba also received a special mention by the jury for "bringing about social transformation while taking the audience through an emotional catharsis".

It's uplifting that a Garba is used in an imaginative manner to drive home a point just by lyrics and movements. The anger, the happiness, the frustrations, the hope: all are present in the Garba.

In Hellaro, Garba is not only an expression of entertainment but a celebration and finally, liberation.

In this age, it's difficult to believe that in many villages in Gujarat, Garba is still a monopoly of the men folk and a folktale is based on this situation, where the women are expected to fast while the Garbas are performed by the husbands.

The repetitiveness of the distressing lives is not only during the festival season but also the rest of the lives.

Though it's a Gujarati film, it can be significant in any part of India; in fact any part of the world that is sexist, caste-driven and superstitious.

It's a world where men rule and women are just someone to remain in the background, expected to cook and ( as the husbands decide what they will do and what will not) and obviously, the suppression had to emerge in some form: in this case: The final Climatic Garba.

(Hellaro means "the Outburst" in Gujarati.)

When the audience is numbed into a hushed shock at the uncertain climax, we know the film has succeeded at many levels.

The director was prompted to make the women-centrist film while hearing the folktale and also inspired by a story from a friend who refused to put her snap on Facebook (and posted a snap of a Goddess) as it angered her husband who seemingly has a modern outlook.

The story is set in 1975 in Kutch, where the rains not come for over three years and into the newly married, educated girl, ( the only one amongst the other twelve illiterate twelve) Manjri, finds out that she has been thrust into a world where she is merely a toy to be played with, her life reduced to a bleak existence between four walls, not expected to have any dreams or even desires, and the only hope for company is when the women go to a nearby lake to collect the water.

"You cannot go out and you can't fly. If you have wings, please cut them off because if I cut them, it'll hurt you more" says the newly married husband the Manjri.

It is Manjri who draws the women away from the fear, leading them to dance their frustrated existence, their only glimmer of hope in the miserable lives they live.

A chance encounter with a dhol player changes their lives forever.

The film would not have been the same if wasn't for the choreography ( there is some level of earthiness in the steps that was unseen in Garbas in "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam" and "Ram-Leela" where the chemistry between Salman and Aishwarya and Dipika And Ranvir overtook the choreography. In any case a Garba comes naturally to a Gujarati) by Samir and Arsh Tanna (responsible for the dances in HDDCS and RL) who have given a new level of purity to the steps as the Garba in those times is nothing like what it is now -commercialized- and of the 32 day shooting in 45 degree scorching heat in Gujarat, half the schedule was spent in just the Garbas.

The swirling skirts, the color, the gay abandon of the women, are a visual enchantment.

The music by Mehul Surti is not only melodious but all compositions are all different, with emotional and devotional significance.

Cinematography is excellent, with the arid background of the desert correlating maybe, to the bleakness of the women's lives. The crisp editing is especially effective in the final half an hour.

"Sinners are not punished. If they were, there wouldn't be so many men in the world," says one of the women and this dialogue won the maximum claps in the cinema hall when I saw the film, the claps mainly coming from the males.

Recommended.

Just finished Hellaro (Gujarati) which left me teary eyed. I'll start with the liberty taken in script by presuming that almost men on earth are bad human beings with only few good ones and that's the reason that this world hasn't collapsed yet. You'll end up liking it more if you're Garba lover (like me) and loves Gujarati folk songs. Film is set in 1975 during emergency era showing the lives of women in a remote village of Kutch (desert of Gujarat) where they are treated like objects not even permitted to do Garba. That's a different thing altogether that in today's Gujarat even if you think about stopping any girl from doing Garba there are high chances that you'll be found murdered 😃😃. How a drummer meets them once while in their daily routine job of fetching water from far away pond and how their dull and torturous life takes a twisting turn is depicted so wonderfully giving you several lump in the throat moments. Shraddha Dangar as Manjhri and Jayesh More as Mulji (drummer) are standout performer. But all credit goes to Abhishek Shah who has written Story, Screenplay and also is producer and director. It's simple and brilliant story of heart wrenching plight of rural women. No wonder it received National Award for Best Feature Film and have deservedly IMDB rating of 8.8 (though votes are less). I also believe Hellaro should've been chosen India's Oscar entry over Gully Boy. Any movie which brings tears down to your cheeks and genuine smile on your face shouldn't be missed. Don't miss it !! My Rating: 4.5/5P.S.: If anyone can't relate about what's the big deal about Garba, just visit Gujarat once during Navratri and you'll see how crazy are Gujaratis especially girls for Garba.

One of the finest movies of the year. It's in-depth research of 70's society of regional India is breathtakingly mesmerising. Characters are well developed, cinematography is top-notch, acting is commendable, music is groovy, direction is good. Writing was always going to be tricky as it is a period drama, and it has thus few plot holes. But acting, dialogues are saviours to direction and Hellaro is an enjoyable film. Very few dull moments (that too if you find those cheesy), else it's an excellent film.

P. S. If you expect Satyajit Ray or Bimal Roy type direction, might get misunderstood. This is a film to embrace change when the world and society is changing. With no sense of economical background shown and all that of social areas have been discussed, film required no serious raw scenes. Its quite natural out there where any modern Indian village people would do what's required.

This is my first Gujarati movie, Watched with subtitles "on", Hellaro is a movie worth watching not only for its message but for showcasing the different shades of a woman. The garba dance sequences are amazing I think its worth it.

it is really based on the tales on the vrajvani dham temple where the women of ahir caste sacrificed their life for playing garba.

A visual treat, strong acting, Excellent music,very basic yet powerful message,emotional journey of characters, irony this films offers all.

No matter what is your native language is, read subtitle if you like, you will be immersed into the river of emotions!

Being a cinema lover, I felt that India just missed an opportunity of bringing Oscar home by not sending HELLARO to Oscars. Deep meaning Dialogues and Music works like icing on a cake.

I request you to watch this movie with your family even if you aren't Gujarati.

A must watch movie!

Movie is awesome. This is my first Gujarati movie. If don't know Gujarati watch with subtitle.