Daayen Ya Baayen

Deepak Dobriyal had impressed me with his zero-dialog performance in Shaurya. And here he is just too good as the troubled teacher.

Funny moments start and never tend to end in this cocoon of true melodrama about how people in India behave, live & react to things which are out of the world. The taunts, dialogs & reactions are so original, I could relate. Each & every member of the cast has put in efforts in the funny quotient of the movie. With some good locales, the plot talks about the rise-to-fame-story of a teacher when he wins a red car in a contest. Things unfold & he finds himself in something he wants to so eagerly get out.

BOTTOM LINE: Fresh writing & funny moments, Daayen Ya Baayen is an entertaining watch, in spite of having few dull moments. 6.9!

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES

Profanity/Nudity/Sex: No | Violence/Gore: No | Smoking/Drugs/Alcohol: Mild

Well, the film is a simple tale but it stays with you for a long time. So it would be safe to say it is not that simple after all. There are plenty of rough edges but those give it an earthy feel. I felt that some supporting actors could have been better trained but on the whole most of them give a really good performance and the wife of Ramesh is just fantastic. I love the hills and it felt good to be transported there in a very real way. It left me with a feeling of nostalgia, a feeling that things are changing in our world a bit too fast ... and the desire to hold on to a simplicity that is conveyed in the film is something that everyone will immediately relate to. I recommend it for a relaxed watch on a Sunday afternoon and then again on the next Sunday.

A must see movie. This is one of the best ever movie written and created in uttarakhand area.. i just randomly saw it on you tube but hats off to the director and producer and writer.... perfectly written and connected plots in each scene with best humor and sensible poems along with flute combinations... i don't know if any other Pahadi movies like this exist but deepak dobriyal you framed and displayed the best acting... God Bless you and best wishes to all cast to keep the spirit up and making such good movies... three cheers!! :)

I was reminded of my village in Goa when I saw this film. The characters were very typical to a village. They are always involved in petty politics and are very warm in their heart actually. Village people can be like that very funny and simple at the same time. My family saw it together and we all enjoyed it. My son also liked it very much. We saw it on the net but I am looking for a DVD but cannot find one. The photography is very good. And the acting is very close to the heart. Under the laughter we could also see the reality of a village life, the hardships, the big dreams and the point that there are no jobs there. We can have big dreams but we have to have the courage to make them happen.

Before watching, I was intrigued by the title of the movie. The first thought that came to my mind that it must be a mountain movie with a political subtext. But it wasn't. The movie turned out to be much broader than that. The prime subject of the film remain as the people of Uttarakhand, their identity, aspirations and ambitions with the obvious backdrop being the picturesque Kumaon Himalayas. A simple tale involving an object of desire, a luxury sedan in this case, is then interwoven with earthy characters sprinkled with abundant 'pahadi humor' , a rocky version of dry humor tending towards malice. Some contemporary topics are part of this tale; education, television soaps and most importantly- identity of the people and their direction in life. The movie delves into few fundamental questions. What is achieved by creating a new state? Is such transformation, where girls aspire to be named as the much married bitchy TV serial women, kids walk and talk in English without knowing what they are learning, justified ? Where migrating to a big city is still the biggest aspiration ? Men gamble with cards and get drunk by sundown. How does this new state affect the people and boost their confidence ?

Bela, hailing from Uttarakhand, knows her roots, feels the dilemma and expresses it in cinematic medium. I have observed, when a writer directs a movie, there's always a lot of attention to detail. Daayen Ya Baayen would be a treat to the observant audience, to gather the subtle nuances of the characters, the slick coordination of certain sound and visuals to create a humorous note, the framing, dialogs and at times, silent expressions.

There are quite a handful of characters, each with their own idiosyncrasies and colorful traits. One of the most important aspects on this film is that it is also made with the local people. Other than three major roles (Deepak Dobriyal, Manav Kaul and Badrul Islam), all other characters are played by local actors and artistes. Reportedly, some of them have faced a camera for the first time. Large number of school students are featured in certain scenes and as I understand, shooting were conducted without any workshop or training. Ramesh's family members, especially his little kid (Pratyush Sharma) and his wife (Aditi Beri) sourced from the region seamlessly merges with the household and domestic brouhaha. The wife, particularly in the scenes of her 'outrageous housekeeping' antics is hilariously natural.

Deepak Dobriyal is simply brilliant as the protagonist. His acting prowess probably comes from his theatrical background. Deepak is a powerful actor. In this film, his character is a sublime combination of a poetic dreamer and an ambitious visionary, but unintentionally ending up being a loser or playing the jester. He teaches his son to hand stand, as that will facilitate blood flow to the brain. He makes poetry. He learns driving. He drinks country liquor. Still, he tries to impart basic values to his students and his son. He does it with intensity. This is undoubtedly, his one of the meatiest and finest performance on screen. His character is beautifully supported by Badrul Islam, a fan boy hopelessly sweet in his own way. Pratyush as Ramesh's son radiates lot of potential who reminds of the kids in Majid Majidi's films. This film too makes way for filmmakers who, while trying to entertain, are also willing to create meaningful content on realistic themes. While the movie is predominantly based on the people and societal culture of Uttarakhand, it talks about certain values, identities and aspirations which is identifiable beyond geographical boundaries. DyB deals with is much down to earth issues and materialistic aspirations, but with lighter mood. The tone of the film is bright and upbeat, and it never loses its humor even at its darkest point.

Though DyB is a low budget film, the production value is high. The cinematography( Dop Amlan Datta), costumes (by Nikunj Vyas), music are elaborate, well detailed and very entertaining. The magnificent locales, panoramic views, bright sunny days, winding hilly roads, vivid hues are all part of the captivating storyline, all captured candid which prevents it to become a documentary. There's a scene where, Ramesh with his son walks along the narrow stone steps and a rainbow shimmers on the horizon- absolutely stunning! The film is full of many such colorful occasions of happiness, sorrow and surprises. Arguably, films shot on picturesque mountainous locations are somewhat vulnerable to the landscape overpowering the characters. But it's the good director's panache to make them blend with the terrain, but to retain their own importance in the plot. Bela, is quite successful in achieving a fine balance between the characters and the backdrop, interdependent but collectively complete. The BGM by Vivek Philip is upbeat and pertinent with the visual setting. There's only one song, a spontaneous upbeat one, sung by Zubin Garg on which the entire village makes merry !

The narrative is simple, believable, straightforward and chronological. Though in the otherwise logical narrative, absence of mobile phones or a gas filling station does feel a bit conspicuous. Remember, the car plays the pivotal role (also to some extent literally, by the end of the film). While almost all aspects of the car and driving was captured in detail and expressed with much humor, one or two instances of gas filling could have been added, keeping practicality in mind. In another scene against sunset where Deepak leans against his sedan, quite looks like an advertisement, probably of a car. Otherwise the screenplay is taut and at places emotionally involving. The films takes it own time to develop the plot, which some may term as a slow start, but once Deepak takes the steering, there's no brake.

Overall, a high quality satire intelligently packaged within an entertaining cinema. Watch it, you may feel right after you've left the theater.