Review of short film: The Violin Player: Review by Vijay Bhatt for Blog posting May 5, 2020

Review of short film: The Violin Player: Review by Vijay Bhatt for Blog posting May 5, 2020

Available on NETFLIX, English subtitles, Time 72 Minutes

Screen Play and Direction Bauddhayan Mukherji

Bauddhayan Mukherji presented superb cinematography of streets, railway station, trains, in Mumbai’s typical natural lighting, depicting lower middle class musician’s living conditions, living in crowded multi-story nests of habitation ( chal). It focuses around a poor artist couple where protagonist working in music industry as an orchestra violinist, and his wife also in similar industry.

For a struggling orchestra violin player, to play solo is as much important as for an actor getting a lead role! For an artist first love is art and life’s sad realities are compromise for art!

-Acting in the role of an orchestra violin player, Ritwick Chakraborty, very convincingly poses as a depressed, struggling, and also a delighted artist when got to play solo. His expressions in the most critical situation, reflect internal conflicts between his art and his realities.

- Adil Hussain’s acting in the role of a stern and calm film maker, becomes a challenge to the viewers’ guess work, for not seeing any expressions, let alone any hint or indication of what is he up to. A mature actor!

- On the railway station, the distant non- verbal interaction , only through eyes, between the violin player and this film maker, is good acting and direction.

-The whole environment on the railway station is very natural and classy cinematography of true life on Mumbai local railway stations.

-There is a minor scene, in the train, the violinist gives money to singing beggars. No one else offered. Good direction here to show the artists sympathy for other artists’ plight.This sympathy connects the end as well.

-Some other good direction points are that he keeps on trying to connect with his wife but the phone is off.

-Early on, beating of cockroach is a viewer pre-conditioning by director for the last few scenes. Good direction.

-At the end, the director offers few view points. It is up to us to pick and interpret on our own. Good challenge!

The movie may feel slow to some initially, but surely not when it ends. Patience is always a virtue, even as a viewer!

At the end there is this most profound quote by Pablo Picasso:

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”

Score: A 10+ for a parallel cinema. You will love it!

Review of short film: The Violin Player: Review by Vijay Bhatt for Blog posting May 5, 2020