Imtiaz Ali’s much-anticipated partition drama, Main Vaapas Aaunga, is all set to release on the big screens this weekend. Starring Vedang Raina, Sharvari, Naseeruddin Shah, , Danish Pandor, Banita Sandhu, and many others, the movie was a timeless classic that we thought Bollywood has forgotten to make. I got the opportunity to watch it ahead of its release, and all I have to say is the movie comes as a breath of fresh air, especially because it beautifully blends love, longing, pain of leaving behind one’s home, losing their safety net, and awaiting the day you could go back in time as you had many promises to fulfil.
Ratings: 3/5
Main Vaapas Aaunga Plot
The plot of the film centres around (older version played by Shah, and younger one by Raina), who is suffering from an age-related illness. His grandson Nirvair (Dosanjh), a failed stand-up comedian in London, gets to know that his grandfather is on the verge of dying, and rushes back home. Nirvair becomes the only person Keenu talks to. Suffering from dementia, he starts telling Nirvair about his life in Sargoda, now a part of Pakistan, before the 1947 Partition. He reminisces about his love story with Jiya (Sharvari) and the family life he had before they were forcefully separated.
Nirvair, while dealing with his on-again, off-again relationship with Kaveri (Banita Sandhu), starts getting invested in his grandfather’s life story. He starts learning more and more about the partition and starts incorporating it into his stand-up comedy skits. Will he be successful in getting to know about the struggles Keenu had to go through to survive Partition, before he passes away? Will he fulfil his grandfather’s last dying wish? Forms the crux of the story.
Main Vaapas Aaunga Pros & Cons
Director , through the movie, expressed how the wounds, the pains, the regrets, and the anger left by the 1947 partition in India as well as Pakistan, are yet to be healed. And maybe it will take a long time, as it has been passed down through generations.
This movie proves that all cinema needs to become legendary again is good storytelling, great performances by the actors, and dialogues you feel hooked it, which resonate deep within your soul, and shows a mirror of reality that persists today, despite so many years of development.
Talking about the performances, the star of the movie for me was Shah. His portrayal of Ishwar Singh Garewal, aka Keenu, a 95-year-old man who is losing his touch with reality, wishes to go back to Sargoda to fulfil his promise to Jiya. His screen presence was so captivating yet devastatingly heartbreaking. Complementing him was Diljit’s Nirvair, humouring his grandfather but trying his best to be a bridge in uncovering the secrets his grandfather has kept close to his heart.
While Diljit becomes a steady presence in the movie, Vedang and , the two budding talents of Bollywood, make you ache for the love they lose, the tragedies their families go through during partition. They bring an innocent youthfulness to the story, which has been missing from Bollywood in the last few decades.
The director perfectly blends the present and the past, as he has done with his previous films. The songs seem natural, helping the storyline move forward flawlessly, and dialogues leaves a lasting impact on you.
While the movie felt a bit lacking in execution, failing to hold my attention in a few places, it didn’t go much into the gory details of the partition. It focused on the people and their tragedies, irrespective of the country, and not on the country. It serves as a reminder that no matter the country, the religion, the war, or the status, what ultimately matters are the people that are left behind. The people who form a country, who follow various religions, who suffer the consequences of the war, and who fight for their dignity. The people who keep wondering what their fault was, having been caught in the crossfire between greed, power, and ruthlessness.
Main Vaapas Aaunga Special Mention
Ahead of the release of the film, the makers of the movie released the song “Kya Kamaal Hai” sung by Diljit Dosanjh. The bonus version has already been released on YouTube, which plays at the end of the movie. I want to specially mention the music video as it features real footage of refugees, across the world, trying to survive after losing their homes and safe spaces. The song leaves you with goosebumps, squeezing your already emotional heart after the climax scene, as it tries to make you realise how tragic the suffering of humans is to date.
Main Vaapas Aaunga Final Thoughts
It has been so long since a movie has left me feeling fulfilled, breaking my heart to the point I couldn’t control my tears by the end of it. The movie truly is a much-needed refresher from the larger-than-life action movies, with problematic tropes, that we have been watching these past few years. It heals a part of you, as you can see the resemblance of your family dynamics between Nirvair’s and yours.
All in all, is a must-watch, especially in theatres. Take your partners, family members, especially your grandparents, with you to watch the film this weekend!