Great Film overall

As Good As It Gets

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

When Fandry was released in 2013, it was critically acclaimed. I did not get chance to watch it then. I saw Sairat, and later when Dhadak was released - I revisited Sairat and while reading about the Director Nagraj Manjule - came again across his first feature length film - Fandry. The story is about 13 year old adolescents boy Jabya's dream - his unrequited LOVE towards Shalu, a girl studying with him. And Jabya's dis-interest in his untouchable lower caste's based role his father Kachru plays in the village doing menial jobs. The story eloquently leads us to the final set-up where embarrassed Jabya has to give a hand to his father to catch a piglet in front of his school mates inside a garbage ground.It is an utterly heart-wrenching tale of realization of broken dreams of LOVE in front of whole village, especially in front of the girl who too laughs are the family's endeavors of catching a pig; where people humiliate and playfully laugh and make fun of Jabya.After watching Fandry I also watched a short film of the director Nagraj - Pistulya (10 minutes short film)Few things stand out as Director Nagraj Manjule's trademarks - His movies portrays his personal experiences of life, There is an angle of LOVE, The movies are based in smaller towns and villages, the protagonists are mostly new and unknown faces who are drawn into acting, There is social issues highlighted in the movie - castes, discrimination, honor killing, education The movies are a good mix of lighter moments, The music of the movies is good, The movies are made with much sensitiveness, One can see the glimpses of great master at work, It looks evident that a lot of work has been done at the script (writing) stage, There are moments in the movie that are heart wrenching, The endings of all the three movies are tragic All the lead characters of the movie have enacted their roles beautifully. Applause to Somanth Awghade who plays Jabya and Kishore Kadam who plays Jabya's father Kachru.The movie has won several awards including the National Award for best debut director and child artist. The movie's cinematography is worth mentioning which has been captured with great still shots reminding us of internationally acclaimed directors like Terrence Mallick with sensibilities of Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali. The use of symbolism in beautifully interwoven with the flow of the script. Director Manjule too has also done a small cameo as a mentor of Jabya. I will recommend this movie whole-heartedly. It was a stepping stone for Manjule to come out with the commercial block-buster Sairat - without compromising on the theme and his movie making style.Great watch - Go, find FANDRY from somewhere - it is on Netflix too and watch it. The movie will change the way you look at life.(I will go with 7.75 out of 10)

As a Maharashtrian I have watched the new wave of issue-based Marathi movies with interest. However so far most of them have been of the sort "let's turn this one idea I have into a movie", which accompanied with little directorial talent (forget an auteur's voice) has resulted in preachy, repetitive, artificial, and broadly underwhelming films.But this, this is the real deal. Rarely do you see a director this perfectly in control of what he wants to say in a way that his movie primarily remains a movie and does not become a lesson, and yet hits you hard. This movie has been vaguely marketed as a love story, which I find ridiculous because it is nothing of the sort (the love interest does not even have a line). It is a movie about adolescence and hopes and caste, just about regular old real village life from the point of view of a young boy. There is not a moment of artifice in it, everything is real and honest.This is top quality, Oscar worthy work, with echoes in the movie-making and storytelling of Shyam Benegal (Ankur etc), Premchand (Godaan), Majid Majidi (Children of Heaven), and even Terence Malick (Days of Heaven) for the imagery. I haven't seen Sairat, yet I'm calling it - we have a true great in our midst.

The movie is so simple would like to compare this with Iranian movies. If you love watching Iranian movies then fandry is must watch keeping in mind the simplicity of the acting yet successful in delivering the strong message of living in poverty & suffering from caste discrimination. The film is focused on a young boy who lives below poverty in a village and how he gets caught into superstition to get hold of his love who belongs from an upper caste society...Unlike other Indian movies where scenes are sometimes more emotionally biased, this movie will not make you cry but still will make you think against the three sensitized subjects of poverty, caste discrimination and superstition to some extent..

'Fandry' is an exceptionally well crafted film on Social issues still exist in rural India. The young protagonist 'Jambya' is a school going boy who is from untouchable 'Kaikade' community who catch pigs and do odd jobs for their living. Jambya is interested in school and likes a girl from school who is a upper caste. The boy has rebellious thought of not catching pigs although its their basic work for living. Director has meticulously worked on characters and social pressure on them through different incidences. The suffocation of the boy due to family pressure, his love for upper class girl and killing of his innocence at the hands of upper caste boys are key points which are well written by the writer. What starts as a simple rural life oriented film goes to climax with boy overcoming the pressure of society, understanding of self and takes audience to a different level of his revolt against 'untouchability' issue.The climax is the hallmark of the film. Its a tight slap to the society which shows how a small boy becomes an adult due to one incidence. His self realisation is disturbing and a truth difficult to handle. There is a definite message in the film which the Director delivers in distinctive fashion. The film has already won many awards in India and accolades from all over the world. It is releasing in India on 14th February 2014. If you really love reality based Cinema then this is it. Don't miss!!!