Star Cast: Diljit Dosanjh, Sharvari, Vedang Raina, Naseeruddin Shah
Director: Imtiaz Ali
Main Vaapas Aaunga Movie Review Synopsis:
MAIN VAAPAS AAUNGA is a story about a man who is stuck in his past.
Ishar Singh Grewal (Naseeruddin Shah) is a 95-year-old man who lives in Chandigarh with his family. He doesn't get respect from his kids because he has been rude to them for a long time. One day, he insists on taking his driver to Sargodha, in Pakistan. Unfortunately, the BSF officers stop him from crossing the border, and during the chaos, he has a stroke. His family is worried, or maybe they just hope he will die so they don't have to deal with his behavior. But he doesn't want to die. His grandson, Nirvair (Diljit Dosanjh), who lives in the UK, flies to Chandigarh when he hears about Ishar's condition. He is one of the few in the family who really cares about Ishar. Ishar isn't talking much anymore, but he starts speaking to Nirvair. Ishar has dementia, so his thoughts are all over the place. However, Nirvair listens carefully and realizes Ishar is remembering the times before Partition, when he was with his family in Sargodha. He had fallen in love with Afsana Hasan (Sharvari), and they wanted to get married. But Partition and the rising tensions blocked their plans. What happens next is the rest of the film.
Main Vaapas Aaunga Movie Story Review:
The story by Imtiaz Ali and Nayanika Mahtani is touching and different from most other partition movies.
Their screenplay moves between two timelines but is not confusing, and it keeps the viewers engaged. However, the writing sometimes feels weak. The dialogues are realistic and thought-provoking, with a few funny and dark one-liners that will be appreciated. But Naseeruddin Shah’s lines are hard to understand, and the film should definitely have subtitles.
Imtiaz Ali's direction is okay.
He is known for his unique style, and MAIN VAAPAS AAUNGA is no exception. Instead of taking the usual route, he starts with a special opening scene that sets the mood. The opening credits also intrigue viewers, focusing first on Afsana, but then introducing more female characters, which makes people curious. Things improve when Nirvair starts talking to Ishar about his past. The film becomes better after the first half. The sequence showing the violence of Partition is very intense and different from other films in this genre. But Imtiaz saves the best for the last 20 minutes, where the ending is both emotional and exciting.
On the other side, the first half moves a bit slowly.
The love story between Ishar and Afsana starts suddenly, and it takes some time to realize how much they love each other. A few scenes are confusing, especially those with the Martians. The second half starts with Nirvair talking about a solution to burning farm stubble. This has nothing to do with the story and should have been cut out. The focus should have been more on Ishar's life after Partition and his relationship with his family. The film touches on an important issue—inter-generational trauma—but it doesn’t explain it well. Also, the music is not up to the usual standard.
Main Vaapas Aaunga Movie Review Performances:
This is one of Naseeruddin Shah’s best performances.
He fully immerses himself in his character and gives a deeply emotional performance that makes the audience cry. Diljit Dosanjh is natural and brings warmth and charm to his role. Sharvari looks amazing and gives a strong performance, even though she has limited screen time. Vedang Raina shines in several key scenes and proves himself. Banita Sandhu (Kaveri) supports the story well. Rajat Kapoor (Iqbal Grewal) and Anjana Sukhani (Meher) do a great job. Manish Chaudhari (Muzaffar) is as good as expected. Dolly Ahluwalia (Ishar’s grandmother) may not have much to do at first, but she leaves a strong impression in a key scene later. Danish Pandor (Afzal) is very memorable thanks to his connection in DHURANDHAR. Satnam Singh (Pali) and Abhay Rana (young Pali) do okay. Kumud Mishra (BSF Chief Keshav Parmar), Rasika Agashe (Protima; Partition expert), Debasree Ghosh (Madhu Malti; nurse), Kashmira Irani (Kishwar; Lahore-based), Sahil Mehta (Adil; Lahore-based), and others all give solid performances.
Main Vaapas Aaunga Movie Music and Other Technical Aspects:
A R Rahman’s music is okay, but in a film by Imtiaz Ali, one would expect something better.
The song "Maskara" is lively, while "Dheere Dheere", "Tere Paas Main", and "Dariya Hi Dariya" are average. "Ishq Mastana" feels out of place, and "Kya Kamaal Hai", played during the credits, is very touching. The background score is better than the songs.
Sylvester Fonseca’s cinematography is appropriate.
Paramjeet Singh Pamma’s action scenes are not too intense but effectively show the horrors of Partition. Sheetal Iqbal Sharma’s costumes and Suman Roy Mahapatra’s production design are nostalgic. Aarti Bajaj’s editing is a bit messy in some parts, but it generally works.
Main Vaapas Aaunga Movie Review Conclusion:
Overall, MAIN VAAPAS AAUNGA stands out among other Partition films with strong performances and an emotional ending.
However, at the box office, it is likely to attract mainly a niche, urban audience due to its theme, style, and pacing. Its commercial success will heavily depend on the word-of-mouth from its target viewers.
