Aug. 24, 2018|India|73 Min.|n/A
Genre: Biography;Bollywood;Drama
Description: The highly anticipated collaboration between the extraordinarily talented Pankaj Kapur and the dynamic director Ketan Mehta in the 2018 adaptation of Saadat Hasan Manto’s *Toba Tek Singh* falls short of expectations. Kapur’s portrayal of a man left catatonic by severe socio-political persecution, which left thousands dead or displaced, could have been the film’s standout moment. However, his interpretation of the character’s silent protest comes across as a bewildering mental freeze. The exaggerated antics of the asylum inmates feel jarring and at times border on caricature, detracting from the story’s depth.
The film attempts to visually depict the “madness” of Manto’s psychologically disturbed characters, but the eccentric behavior of the inmates often veers into the absurd. By deviating from Manto’s politically charged parable, Mehta undermines the original text’s impact. While the central theme of a divided nation remains in the background, the film focuses on the actors’ over-the-top performances, which, though occasionally entertaining, trivialize the struggles of those with actual psychological disorders.
Interestingly, the film incorporates an incident from another of Manto’s stories, *Khol Do*, where a traumatized rape victim reflexively opens her salwar when someone says “Khol Do.” This scene is woven into Mehta’s version of *Toba Tek Singh*, told through the eyes of Manto himself, played with subtlety by Vinay Pathak. Amidst the film’s broad performances, Pathak’s restrained portrayal stands out.
On a positive note, the film is shot on authentic, arid locations, and Raktim Mondal’s cinematography is sharp and evocative, adding some depth to an otherwise uneven narrative.
Cast director: Ketan Mehta
Cast actor: Pankaj Kapur, Vinay Pathak, Gaurav Dwivedi
Original name: Toba Tek Singh