‘The blue umbrella’: Shelters one from the blues

-By Swetha Amit


http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=a4ec096f-28ce-4dfb-a39e-48e046659170
Sometimes simplicity often portrays a strong message with tremendous conviction. Reminiscing our childhood evokes a wistful memory of having been attached to a small thing which was our constant and inseparable companion.

The blue umbrella is one such story of a little girl and her exquisite umbrella -a tale which sails one through an emotion-filled trip of the village folk. The movie is an adaptation of a novel for children, in the same name by Ruskin Bond.

The story is set in a quiet hamlet amidst the lush evergreen hilly terrains of Himachal Pradesh. Amongst them is the tea stall owner Nandikishore Khatri (Pankaj Kapur). Though being old, he manages to retain his child-at-heart stance. He often indulges in fancying and yearning for tiny possessions of children.

One fine day his attention is drawn towards a pretty little thing that adds a vivid charm to the grassy contours. Biniya (Shreya Sharma) a girl in the village manages to get her hands on a delicate and charming blue umbrella which becomes her perpetual escort. Her proud exhibition of her new found possession becomes an object of envy and admiration for everyone, eventually making heads turn.

Determined to attain ownership of this alluring thing, Khatri continuously persists Biniya who refuses vehemently. Propelled by greed and obsession, Khatri slowly hatches a mastermind plot to claim this unique umbrella in a manipulative manner.

When the umbrella goes missing mysteriously one day, Biniya is left wallowing in dismay at the loss of her beloved accomplice. Determined to get to the bottom of this peculiar theft instigates her to send a search party to Khatri who is her prime suspect. However it’s all in vain when the inspection fails to indicate anything. However a series of events occur as the story unfolds into the guilt lane revealing a disgraceful stance.

Khatri is banished from his village which he considers as family. The sleet of ice, outskirts of the town and the attack of bears in the frosty winter was enough to drown him in a pool of misery as he realizes his impertinent folly. Left out in the cold in more than one way, he is shunned by all who act as repeated reminders of his misdeed. Seeing all this Biniya begins to feel sorry for the old man whom she decides to forgive in her own special way as he resumes back to normalcy with an ironical change.

The movie is brilliant and sensitively handled. Pankaj Kapur get’s into the skin of the character of the rusty old shopkeeper and is spectacular. Shreya Sharma is astounding as she depicts the varied feelings from distress, anger to forgiveness in a terrific manner. It is beautifully directed by Vishal Bharadwaj especially the last scene where Biniya pardons Khatri in a sweet manner.
This movie is truly a well deserving National award winner for the best children’s film.

The story makes one realize the ugly manifestation of greed which ultimately becomes a demon inside us, overpowering mankind to indulge in malice. An obsessive craving for a small thing often results in paying a huge price for it as in the above instance. Before realization dawns upon us like the illuminating rising sun it becomes almost too late to try and make amends and remove the stigma attached to us.

It also teaches one to develop the large heartedness to be able to forgive another being for any kind of imprudence. This is especially when he/she realize their foolishness after undergoing unbearable turmoil and is willing to start afresh or make up for their past vices.

The blue umbrella imparts its inherent quality to shelter one from the blues in more than one way. Having the umbrella provides exuberant joy which shields one from nature’s harshness. Its illegal possession certainly drives away the blues for a short while. But in the long run, the consequence of this act makes one dwell in blues forever like in the case of Khatri.

A must watch film which is simple yet stupendous in its portrayal.
Written for www.msn.co.in

Comments

Opaque said…
hi there, watched the movie recently... loved it... agree with you... keep them coming!!!!
3:50 AM
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