Dhag

Plot: Having been raised in a very unstable financial environment, a young boy hopes to earn better for the sake of his family. Unfortunately, his father’s profession brings in a lot of hurdles in the way.

Review: Born in a family where cremating dead-bodies and completing the last rituals is the source of income, Krishna (Hansraj Jagtap) aims to do anything but that. His father Shirpya (Upendra Limaye) is in full support of his son’s decision and encourages him to follow his mind.

Krishna’s mother Yashoda (Usha Jadhav) goes against the family’s wish and enrolls him in a school but his dreams of achieving success are shattered with the untimely death of Shirpya. With no other male member in the family and Krishna unwilling to follow his father’s footsteps, the family has to depend on Shirpya’s friend Mangu (Nagesh Bhosale) for help. Although Mangu leaves no stone unturned in helping them his actions indicate that he wants a favour (read: pleasure) in return, from Yashoda. And in the face of adversity Krishna shoulders the responsibility of running the household. Shivaji Lotan Patil keeps the viewers on the edge of their seats during the scenes involving the snake hiding outside Shirpya’s house.

The film is a brilliant combination of great story, classy direction and fine performances from all the actors. There is drama laced with suspense, and in between there are scenes that provide comic relief. This balanced mixture prevents the story from becoming a morbid tale of survival and helps the viewer understand the situation through the characters’ perspective.

All the actors have delivered with finesse but Usha and Hansraj deserve a standing ovation for their performances. Upendra looks and fits the part of a troubled father struggling to makes ends meet.

With three national awards in it’s kitty in 2013, the film had already got a thumbs up from critics and it’s now the turn of the general audience to enjoy this brilliantly made piece of cinema.