mmentink21

S.S. Rao's "Pushpak" is a humorous yet suspenseful movie about a man's (Kamal) journey into greed and lust and finally his return to an honest and humble life. Amazingly no dialog here, just a great musical score and the sights, sounds and sighs of a people-packed city. Nothing is as it appears in Kamal's world: a street Beggar who sits on a bed of money; a Magician who smokes invisible cigarettes and drinks invisible booze in the presence of his doting wife, and finally Kamal himself who assumes the false identity of a wealthy man to woo the Magician's daughter. The sight gags and physical comedy (especially of the icicle-toting hit-man and the Magician) are great entertainment. Despite Kamal's deceit he is a sympathetic character who in the end pays a price for his misdeeds. Like Woody Allen and Roberto Benigni films, "Pushpak" requires patience (2 hours), but improves itself in the retelling! Great cocktail party fodder.