Star cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari, Andrea Tariang, Angad Bedi, Raashul Tandon, Vijay Varma, Piyush Mishra.
Director: Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury
Ratings: 4 stars
Amitabh Bachchan movie Pink has been in the news for its important subject of women’s safety and the film delivers the message very well, without being too dramatic. The courtroom drama has excellent performances by Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari, Andrea Tariang, Angad Bedi, Dhritiman Chatterjee and Piyush Mishra. The three female protagonists of ‘Pink’ are your regular young women. Minal (Taapsee Pannu) is an events manager, whose work can extend into the late hours. Falak (Kirti Kulhari) works in a corporate set-up where image is all. Andrea (Tariang) is from the ‘North-East’. The girls share a flat in a ‘posh’ South Delhi locality, and we meet them first when they are heading back in a cab in the early hours of the morning, disturbed about something that has just happened. As the plot, terse and on-point, unravels, we get to know that the trio was in the company of three young men, after a rock concert in Surajkund in Haryana. Things take an ugly turn after the dinner that follows. The women have to make a run for it, and one of the young men ends up needing stitches in a deep bloody gash above his eye.
The Shoojit Sircar film is not likely to be watched by many families together who have young kids because of its bold subject of sexual abuse. But ideally it’s a film that should be watched by young kids and especially teenage boys in how not to treat a woman. Pink is a suspenseful courtroom drama, as are all courtroom dramas because we don’t know what the verdict is gonna be and what actually happened. Pink will instantly remind you of the Delhi gang-rape incident of December 16, 2012, that shook the nation. Amitabh Bachchan as lawyer Deepak Sehgal in Pink draws a conclusion to this effect – that it is our boys who need to be ‘saved from women who wear skirts, jeans, tops and drink’. It doesn’t a genius to discover that the political might backing the injured Rajveer (Angad Bedi) and his friends, Dumpy (Raashul Tandon), Vishwa (Tushar Pandey) and another fellow (Vijay Varma) who wasn’t there but is happy to engineer and participate in the humiliation of the women, will try and turn the tables: instead of being the victims, they will be painted as the aggressors. The girls complain to the police about the sexual abuse they have faced at the hands of the men at a resort in Surajkund. But a case is filed against the girls instead at Surajkund police station, and especially against Minal for attempt to murder, as Rajvir has injuries on his head with stitches. More fake and serious charges like prostitution are stamped on the women, and teasing on social media follows for Falak. Minal is in police custody and has no way out. Their neighbour, lawyer Deepak Sehgal played by Amitabh Bachchan, helps the girls in the nick of time. He is suffering from bipolar disorder and has a wife on deathbed in hospital. He has quit practicing law because of his ill health. But seeing the plight of the girls, and also because he has seen Minal being kidnapped by the men in a car in the park, he takes it upon himself to get back into his profession.
Amitabh Bachchan delivers as always in a powerful role. As Deepak Sehgal, he does not play to the gallery, as is the case in many courtroom dramas. Instead, his face is kind and sensitive to the situation and the girls’ dilemma at all times. As the aged, indisposed, lonely, angry but kind lawyer, Big B not once doubts the women. He can sense their innocence and also because he has seen Minal being picked up in a car by force. Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari, Andrea Tariang, Angad Bedi, Piyush Mishra (Rajvir’s lawyer / prosecutor), Dhritiman Chatterjee (Judge) and other supporting cast members excel in the act in the very pragmatic film on sensitive issues. You can see it in the body language of the female cop (Shankar, just so) who helps nail the wrong person for the crime. Hearing the phrase ‘are you a virgin’ in a Bollywood film in a meaningful, non-smirky manner is just Fantastic.
Pannu, Kulhari and Tariang, all very good, typify the dilemma of the modern working young women ( they live in Delhi, and the young men who accost them are very much a part of a certain kind of coarse North Indian ethos—they bully but are too cowardly to do this on their own, needing patronage and protection from the nexus of `netas’ and police which exists only to protect them, not call them out on their wrong-doing), but this could happen anywhere , and not just in India. Pink has a good amount of suspense, built right from the beginning. The film does not play out the abuse scenes in a voyeuristic way but actually makes you cringe, which is good. As mentioned earlier, the performances are good making the film gripping to watch. The film’s locations look authentic too, like in every Shoojit Sircar film. Pink is not overly realistic, it’s just real. It brings forth some extremely important issues regarding women’s safety. The film’s music, direction and editing are superlative.
The major weak link in this film is the elderly lawyer played by Amitabh Bachchan. (Piyush Mishra takes away some of the sobriety in the court scenes by his unsubtle notes, but he is not so germane to the film’s scheme of things). Deepak Sehgall, we are told, is suffering from bipolar disorder, which means mood swings, which means Bachchan alternating between chewing out dialogue and being growly and forced. He takes on the girls’ case, and we want to cheer because he is the Bachchan and will make everything come right. But because he is Bachchan, the director handles him with kid gloves, and there goes the naturalism with which everyone else is playing their parts so effectively. Another important point is that the parents or family of the girls and especially Minal are not really involved in the court case and that seems a little weird in the Indian scenario. However modern they may be, in a normal situation at least one of these girls may have been taken home for good and grounded, and probably married off sooner than later!
Also, fighting such cases against powerful people like politicians in the capital may not always have an ending desired by the victim. As we know, in most such cases, it’s an uphill task to overcome the power and prejudice. All those associated with the making of ‘Pink’, please take a deep bow. Finally, a powerful, brave Hindi mainstream film which focuses on real young women who live real lives and deal with thorny day-to-day issues, which young women the world over will identify and relate with. Pink has something to say, and says it with courage and conviction. Gather everyone and go; and while you are at it, spread the word. Bottomline, when a girl says no, she means no. It means go away, don’t bother me. It can also be a prelude to stronger language if the aggressor in question refuses to back off. The young woman can wear short skirts or jeans or Tees. She can be present at rock concerts. She can laugh and reach out to a young man in a friendly fashion. She can have a drink or two in his company. She can even be, shudder, sexually experienced. Pink is a powerful film that may well hammer in the message once and for all – a girl’s clothing or mannerisms, or her habits such as drinking are in no way an indicator that she is available! More importantly, when she says NO, it means a definite NO. This film should be watched by men for sure.
