"Piku" - It's all about Pee, Poo and Paa :)

It has been 3 months since I last dusted my blog and I choose poo, potty and pee as my come back topic ;) . Do not wrinkle your noses. Strangely the topic I am going to talk about is sweet , cute and heart warming.. Last Saturday I booked tickets for Piku after too many raving reviews and I must say I felt good, as I can't remember the last hindi movie which is worth my time in theater. Movies getting relayed on TV in 3months after the release and the fact that the finest print is readily available on torrent in no time, lessened my enthusiasm to go and watch every movie in theater. I am glad ,I made the decision of going to theatre to watch Piku because the fun-experience wouldn't have been half as good, if I watched it alone sitting on my couch at home!

 Story line and my Review:

Piku is a hilarious journey punctuated by too many loo breaks. We use the terms shit or pissed when we think of something disgusting but the shit or piss are projected in such a humorous manner here, that you will forget the unpleasant odors or memories associated with it and actually enjoy the Poo-dynamics. I am amused by Shoojit Sircar's  and Juhi Chaturvedi's  innovative skills. Only they can bring humor to the bodily secretions so neatly. Last time they made all of us smile broad, when they had dealt with semen & sperms in Vicky Donor. However this time the topic is much lighter as it is not something important which is coming out, still is discussed so often and is analyzed with such a high priority that it will make audience guffaw!

Image source: here

Bhaskor Banerjee's favorite topic anywhere any time is constipation and motion. He is an irritating character who can bring up the topic in an untimely manner on dining table, during a dinner date or even inform the status to his daughter Piku, when she is totally absorbed in office work. Amitabh Bachan is so befitting as Bhaskor Da . He reminds you of a common old man who is nosy, prickly, cranky, who can give stubborn responses to neighbors or pick fights and argue till he wins with maids or relatives and who is so astonishingly selfish and liberal, that he is OK if his daughter has casual sex but is not ready for her wedding as she might not be able to look after him. The director again portrays the modern and liberal thinking of Bengalis which is different from the thought process of stereotypic moms and dads who keep a tab on their kids' life’s events and happenings. The twisted views of Bhaskor on women-liberation and freedom will definitely make you laugh. His irritating, selfish demeanor slowly gets to you and you feel for the man and his emotions along with motions which he discusses with immense passion :) 

Piku- The name suits Deepika Padukone so well. It just feels like it is the shortcut of her original name - Deepika. The name adds that extra cuteness to the movie and the audience don't even feel the necessity to know the actual name of Bhaskar Banerjee's daughter Piku, as her other aspects like independent thinking and mental strength grab your attention. Piku patiently but loudly responds to his dad’s hollering and her unconditional motherly love towards him can be felt at every juncture. She is funny in her own way and is curt with her irritating 70 year old dad but still is a a loveable daughter who learns to be strong and she sure is an inspiration to all the daughters out there. At many points I felt emotional when I realized I never did my part for my parents at any point of my life till now. Deepika is at ease playing the role of Piku and not even a single time you get the whiff of artificiality in the movie!

The actual journey of Piku starts when Rana Chaudhary (played by Irrfan Khan) the owner of a taxi service company comes in between the dad - daughter duo. He drives them and their helper Bodhan, from Delhi (C.R. Park) To Kolkota. The humor quotient shoots up when Khan adds his trade mark comic skills to the movie. His quirky dialogues like for instance the telephonic conversation he has with Piku's boss and his friend- " ye baap beti to aise hi time pass karrahe hai. Mujhe to nai lagta inhe calcutta jaana bhi hai" will spice up the humour. His eyes speak more than his words and he has all your attention whenever he appears on the screen. Even if he is facing the brunt of father and daughter, he starts respecting Deepika for her patience and love towards her 70 year old Pain in the ass dad. He himself is bothered by his nagging mom and sister and looks up to Piku for what she is doing is no less than waging a war on battlefield according to him!

The story is slow and even the road trip doesn't pick up the pace but the viewer actually starts relishing the journey and the heart-heart conversations Piku and Rana have. The attention to detail skill of Shoojir Sircar is wonderful. The way Kolkota, delicious Bengali cuisine, Varanasi and Ganga ghat are projected is a treat to eyes. The chemistry between the trio is so natural and sizzling. Thanks to the director for not stressing on the romance between Piku and Rana and one cannot resist from smiling broad when Rana and Bhaskor bond over a commode and discuss the Poo-logics :) Needless to say the rest of the characters, Bodhan (the helper at home), Maushami Chatterjee ( Piku's maternal aunt) and Piku's other bua and her boss Jisshu Sengupta just blend in the story.

All in all Piku is an original, warm, fresh, quirky and a charismatic watch which will steal your heart. The ending can be predicted but it leaves the audience with warmth filled in their hearts. They can leave the theater happily humming the song- "Dheere chal na hai mushkil to jaldi hi sahi" - a song which refuses to leave my head.