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HomeFeaturesSaand Ki Aankh review: The Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar film largely...

Saand Ki Aankh review: The Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar film largely hits the mark

Despite a schmaltzy and overlong second half, Saand Ki Aankh — the film about UP's famous Shooter Dadis — is an absolute delight.

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New Delhi: A film about oppressed women breaking free of the shackles imposed by their misogynist husbands for the sake of their granddaughters sounds like a recipe for tears. And there will be a few, especially towards the end. But for the most part, Saand Ki Aankh is the most fun you’ll have in a theatre all year.

Based on the true story of Chandro and Prakashi Tomar, women in their sixties from the village of Johri, who became national-level shooting champions 20 years ago, Tushar Hiranandani’s film is an unabashed ode to female solidarity. Prakashi (Taapsee Pannu) enters the household of the village sarpanch, Rattan Singh Tomar (Prakash Jha), as its youngest daughter-in-law, and is told by Chandro (Bhumi Pednekar), the middle bahu, that no matter what happens, the women will always stand together.

And they need to, given the extreme misogyny they face at the hands of the men in their family, who do nothing but smoke hookah all day, watch adult movies that they banish their wives from and have sex with said unwilling wives by night. The wives, who work in the fields all day, resent the fact that their hard-earned money goes straight to their husbands, who see them as nothing more than baby-making machines.


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Decades later, Yashpal (Vineet Kumar), a young local who had made it to Delhi, decides to return and set up a shooting academy in Johri. He firmly believes that things are changing, and encourages the girls of the sarpanch’s family to come to his academy, arguing that they can get government jobs and go far in life, if they’re good. But he is put in his place by the man, who insists that guns are for men only. He also adds that women of his household are not meant to go far, they will go straight to their husband’s home.

The boys of the village, though, are uninterested and would rather while away their time. But Chandro’s grand-daughter Shefali (Sara Arjun, who also narrates portions of the film), is keen to learn shooting, so Chandro secretly takes her one day, and discovers she herself is a skilled markswoman. Soon, Prakashi’s daughter Seema (Pritha Bakshi) also wants to learn, and Prakashi finds that she, too, can hit bullseye – saand ki aankh, whoop the sisters, for that’s really what their relationship is. The two decide that if for nothing else but the sake of their granddaughter and daughter, they will become shooting champions, so that their girls find the courage to break free and make their own lives.

What follows is the story of how, over the next few years, the Tomar women travel for tournaments across India, tricking their husbands into believing they’re going to satsangs and temples to pray for the men’s long life.

Prakashi chafes at the restrictions and lies, but finds refuge in the one room of the house that is only for the ladies. This is where they hide the medals they win, and this is where they dance after every victory with the other women and girls of the house.

The scenes of solidarity and friendship among the female characters, Vishal Mishra’s peppy songs (all, mercifully, sung by women), the humour and sharp, thoughtful writing and cinematography do much to mitigate the film’s flaws. And there are flaws – first, of course, the fact that, while Pannu and Pednekar are very good (despite strange makeup that makes their hair grey but their hands remain as youthful as ever), the film would have made even more of a statement if it starred women actually in their sixties. Second, after a zippy first half, it’s disappointing to see a long, melodramatic second half give in to blatant commercialism, including a problematic scene at a palace in Alwar that sticks out for being gratuitous as well as patronising.

But these are minor problems in a film that, by and large, shoots its shot with sincerity and fun. This Diwali weekend, take your family and go clap for the Shooter Dadis. May we all have one in our lives.


Also read: Laal Kaptaan review: Gorgeous cinematography & an ambitious idea can’t save this Saif film


 

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