Hya Goshtila Navach Nahi Review: Excruciatingly slow pace mars the film

HYA GOSHTILA NAVACH NAHI (Marathi)

Director- Sandeep Sawant

Cast- Prathamesh Atre, Pratiksha Khasnis, Jaydeep Kodoilikar and Anuradha Dhamane

Released in theatres.

Rating:

By Jyothi Venkatesh

Way back in Sandeep Sawant’s directorial debut Shwaas (2004) was credited with rebooting the Marathi film industry when it badly needed the big boost. After making Shwaas which was a heartfelt film about a sick child (Ashwin Chitale) and his caring grandfather (Arun Nalawade) Sandeep has now come up, exactly after two decades, a new film which is dynamically different from Shwaas, called Hya Goshtila Navach Nahi. The film sets out to follow Mukund, (Jaydeep Kodolikar) a college student whose life shifts from excitement to hardship due to a sudden illness. Despite the challenges, he emerges stronger and more hopeful.

The protagonist is Mukund, the middle child of a poor rural family, who has just enrolled in a college of Textile Engineering. The first half of the film follows his attempts to settle in, make new friends, excel at his studies and enrich his life. In what seem to be a very predictable turnaround, we see Mukund getting acquainted with art and culture, attending lectures, and what’s more, even falling in love

What I liked the most about this film which has an excruciatingly slow pace is that despite the challenges, the protagonist emerges stronger and more hopeful. The film revolves around how a shy village lad slowly discovers several interesting layers of life through friends and experiences.

However, unfortunately, fate has other plans. During the annual vacation, while at home, he gets very ill. He is diagnosed with severe kidney infection. The only way out is regular dialysis or a kidney transplant. This grim situation pushes Mukund into a depressed state. He goes through a lot in a short span of time only to be all the more hopeful, with a positive approach to life around him.

Performances wise, Jaydeep Kodolikar gets into the skin of his character with effortless ease while Prathamesh Atre impresses with his involved performance. Pratiksha Khasnis and Anuradha Dhamane render just about routine performances. The title, Hya Goshtila Navach Nahi, which means ‘This story does not have a name’, is another example of how the film keeps things grounded. A more dramatic title would have pointed out the characters’ struggle, but the makers refuse to acknowledge it upfront, considering it to be just another part of life.

At the box office, the film does not seem to have bright prospects as the tickets are steeply priced  from Rs 260 to Rs 500 which is not at all affordable for a film with non stars.