Water

Have been wanting to see this since it first came out. An aesthetically stunning look at female oppression through cultural norms in prewar India, the film focuses on an ashram for widows who are supposed to live a live of chastity, withdrawal and abstinence according to strict religious and moral laws. The narrative principally follows Chuyia (Sarala), an 8 year old widowed before her marriage has even got going and before she can even hope to understand what love, devotion and widowhood could even entail.

The beginning of the film really drags. Drifts might actually be a fairer word and I almost turned it off after 45 minutes or so, but I'm glad I didn't as the last hour is far superior and far more engaging. The beginning is just not compelling or thought-provoking enough and it leaves the last hour of the film with too much to do, even though the end is, itself, very thought-provoking and stays with you. However, you certainly feel that chances were missed earlier on.

The relationships are only averagely developed (except for that between Chuyia and the beautiful Kalyani (Lisa Ray), an older widow) and what becomes the key focus of the story, the love between Kalyani and the idealistic Narayan (played by the incredibly handsome John Abraham), is not handled well, leaving an emotional hole at the end. Ray is the high-point of the performances and is the only one who would threaten my lists, although the young Sarala also gives a commendable performance, especially given her age.

It's far from being a bad film but it's certainly not brilliant. Which is a shame since, at times, it threatens to be.

B-