Director: Vinod Rawat
Cast: Vinod Rawat, RajKummar Rao (in a cameo), and others
Where: In theatres near you (limited release)
Rating: 3 stars
How far will you go to find yourself? Leave your house to fulfill your dream to become an actor, slap a father, who runs taxi for the sake of his family and to earn their livelihood, face rejections in a city like Mumbai or return to your household only to find the harsh realities of life? Vinod Rawat’s directorial debut Pushtaini brushes the complexities of a middle-class family and thrives on a father-son's not-so-rosy relationship.
Bhupinder Singh Rawat aka Bhuppi (Vinod Rawat), leaves Nainital and moves to Mumbai to become an actor, Aryan Shaw (screen name). His friends Sumit and Shashi get him a small role in a RajKummar Rao’s film but despite several retakes, he fails to leave any impact. Soon after, he realises his MMS doing the rounds is now becoming a talking point amongst his circle.
To get rid of this video, he promises money to Sumit, who tries to blackmail him. Without further ado, he returns to his family to seek financial help. Will he be able to pay back or ruin his career being a laughing stock?
Vinod, a popular acting coach, taps into the world of high-tension family dynamics and the innermost battle with his own self in his directorial debut Pushtaini. He delves into the emotions subtly and goes beyond ordinary. Pushtaini, primarily an Indie film, has a similar zone as that of a mainstream film — barring the runtime.
Kapoor & Sons, Dil Dhadakne Do, Gulmohar are a few good examples, where the ecosystem of a family and interpersonal relationships are dealt with finesse and ease. Pushtaini tries a bit to match up in a lot of aspects. It also seems to be highly inspired by the way films like Highway and Dear Zindagi are summed up for the audiences. The film also touches upon sensitive issues like child abuse, infidelity, among others.
Pushtaini is a great effort definitely, and the highlight is the performances by the real family members. Vinod’s sister, brother-in-law, niece, father and paternal aunt (bua) are icing on the cake. How well these non-actors have performed in each scene! Vinod, being an acting coach, is undoubtedly the cherry on top.
Co-writer/actor Anurita gives comic relief to the film and her characters take the film in a very real space. Another actor, Hemant, who plays a taxi driver and Vinod’s childhood friend is humorous, relatable and honest.
Pushtaini is a small hidden gem that can’t be missed for sure.
