JOIN USKoel, a film, portraying a real-life scenario in many households, was screened at the Bangalore International Centre recently. Written and directed by London-based film director Bonny Mukherjee Crawley, the plot was based on Damini, a fashion designer, and her life.
Damini, who is the sole breadwinner of the family, has an old mother-in-law; an unemployed husband; and Sunder, a domestic help who had migrated from a village to earn money.
Both Sunder and mataji are fond of Damini who has kept the house running. However Manu, Damini’s husband, suffers from an inferiority complex and expresses it rather harshly on his wife.
The climax has an interesting twist. Damini has an admirer and the entire household is worried that she might leave. Sunder and his little friend Bubbli get drawn into the household and it almost seems like two stories running parallel to each other. Sentimental and realistic, the film was able to attract the attention of many. The audience clearly liked it because of its topical appeal.
The cinematography was kept as original as possible, showcasing Delhi through the eyes of a middle-class woman, who is striving to make ends meet, and balancing family values along with her career. The use of vivid colours, whether it was various kinds of fabric on Damini’s verandah or her house, added depth and variety to the movie.
A scene, where Manu takes his frustration out on the food, starts provoking Damini and finally ends up splashing a glass of water on her face while they were on the dinner table made the audience gasp. Many said that they could relate to the film on various levels. “This is the story of many families and I have heard of many such stories from acquaintances and relatives. It felt like the reality was translated into a film and perhaps that is the reason why many chose to sit through the movie,” said
Ashwathi, who had come to watch it. Jyothi, who had also come to watch the film, described it as a moving plot and she liked the character of Sunder.
“He was innocent and yet sensitive. The scene where he tells mataji about how his son misbehaved with his wife and how he wants to make a lot of money, buy a car and visit his village was my favourite,” she says.