Starfish Review: A film for the discerning!

STARFISH

Producers- Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar and Almighty Motion Picture

Director- Akhilesh Jaiswal

Cast- Khushalii Kumar, Milind Soman, Ehan Bhat Jagat Rawat, Tusharr Khanna and Nikhat Khan

Platform of Release- Theatres

Rating:

By Jyothi Venkatesh

Based on a book named Starfish Pickle: A Goan adventure by Bina Nayak, a novel about previous secrets and unorthodox life choices, the film revolves around Tara (Khushalii Kumar), a scuba diver suffering from panic attacks and mental stress mainly because of her disturbed past.

In the picturesque landscapes of Malta, Tara (Khushali Kumar) leads a life as a diver, working for a company dedicated to rescuing individuals caught in the depths of the ocean, even recovering those who do not survive the ordeal. Tara the central character’s life is trapped between being a spirited creature and a solemn damsel.

Tara, a proficient commercial diver who is a mystery to everyone around her, is central to the plot. She is a powerful young woman who is breaking social norms and coming to terms with her background. The sea becomes a tool, a medium for her to escape from her tumultuous past. It also works as a cliff-hanger and a metaphor. There’s a bit where she cleans a pond and she could also be cleansing her soul, or rather healing it.

Stuck in a love triangle between Aman (Tusharr Khanna) and Neil (Ehan Bhat), Tara’s messed up love life and trauma of the past take the viewers on a very complex as well as intriguing tale. The traumatic history, particularly involving Tara’s mother, propels her on a relentless quest for truth, a journey that becomes synonymous with self-discovery.

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Tara then encounters Neel (Ehan Bhat), finding solace and affection in their relationship, until fate reintroduces the past through the enigmatic Algo (Milind Soman). The traumatic history, particularly involving Tara’s mother, propels her on a relentless quest for truth, a journey that becomes synonymous with self-discovery. The eye-watering frames compensate a lot for the sporadically bland void in the narrative.

The film, with the eye-watering frames captured brilliantly by the cameraman amply compensates for the sporadic blandness in the narrative. The romantic drama makes an attempt to make you delve deep in the ocean of grief, trauma, love and self-discovery. The music of Starfish composed by Sachet Tandon, Parampara Tandon, Manan Bhardwaj, Khalif, Oaff and Savera, is not only soothing but also haunting at times.

As far as the performances are concerned, while Khushali Kumar deserves credit for her riveting performance in the film, mention also must be made of actors like Milind Soman who stands out with his impeccable performance, proving that he is a senior actor of merit. To sum up, Starfish is definitely a film for the discerning!