Movie Review: Ventilator
Rating: 4 stars
Quick take: Emotional, genuine and brilliant!
India is one of those rare countries where extended and/or joint families still continue to flourish despite the changing mindset of youngsters. If you have ever experienced a gigantic family, you'll instantly find at least a dozen things or characters to connect with in Ventilator. This sublime and emotionally charged Marathi movie takes a quintessential Indian family and brings out their dysfunctions and dynamics to great effect. Where Shakun Batra's Kapoor & Sons achieved the same feat with about 6 characters earlier this year, Rajesh Mapuskar's Ventilator does it with at least 30-odd characters each of who contribute to the story in equal measure. This film is an achievement in handling extended ensemble casts and genuine human emotions with great effect. It also helps that Priyanka Chopra has produced this fine film and even managed a cameo in it.
The story kick stars as Gajju aka Gajendra Karmekar is hospitalised and put onto a ventilator. The Karmekar family's phones start ringing as each member passes the information onto the other. So the news originates from Mumbai and it passes on to their village in rural Konkan Maharashtra as well as to relatives in Kolhapur and even to the US. The central characters in the Karmekar family are Raja (Ashutosh Gowariker), Prasanna (Jitendra Joshi), Ashwin (Tapan Bhatt) and Bhau (Satish Alekar). At least while dealing with the tragedy of Gajju kaka being in the hospital. Then there are supporting characters played by the likes of Sulbha Arya, Sukanya Kulkarni, Nikhil Ratnaparkhi, Usha Nadkarni, Viju Khote, Swati Chitnis and Achyut Potdar. There's another plethora of familiar faces from the Marathi cinema circuit, each of who are crucial to the film's storyline. As the drama unfolds between these multitude of characters, Jitendra Joshi's Prasanna and Ashutosh Gowariker's Raja both discover the value of relationships. The key bond in the film is between fathers and sons. Both Prasanna and Raja learn to sort out their differences with their dads. There's a lot more drama on offer in Ventilator, but the best parts of its writing deal with nurturing and maintaining relationships. The analogy of maintaining relationships being a task similar to brushing one's teeth is simple but fantastic. There's also the value add of having Boman Irani in a special appearance. Seeing yesteryear Hindi villain actor Deepak Shirke in an instrumental role is good too.
Well conceived is an understatement for Ventilator. Rajesh Mapuskar previously directed Ferrari Ki Sawaari and his new Marathi film outdoes his previous superlative effort with consummate ease. This movie benefits greatly from the wealth of acting talent on offer, but it's the direction that really deserves and standing ovation. Certain choices of scenes are masterful and they value add to the impact of the movie. The scene where Satish Alekar reveals key details about Jitendra Joshi's character's past will break your heart into a million pieces and then instantly put it together with effortless ease. Ventilator serves up humour, anger, hatred, envy, sorrow, regret and myriad human emotions with flawless impact. You'll laugh and cry through this film at the drop of many a hat.
When it comes to performances, every single actor is good in their role. But by sheer virtue of the length of roles, performances from Ashutosh Gowariker and Jitendra Joshi stand out. Both actors play similar characters with different arcs. Gowariker's Raja is a successful filmmaker who's distanced himself from the family inadvertently, while Joshi's Prasanna is an ordinary middle-class man struggling to prove himself to his own family. The way politicians and politics affect these individuals also adds a fine layer of drama to the film. Apart from these two pitch perfect performances, veteran writer Satish Alekar playing Gowariker's father in the film delivers a superb performance too.
Ventilator is one of the most honest and emotional films of the year. It's a Marathi film worth treasuring. It's an Indian film worth celebrating.
Hindustani Times
Ventilator review: A bickering family that fights but sticks together
- Gulshankumar Wankar, Hindustan Times, Nagpur |
- Updated: Nov 04, 2016 19:40 IST
Ventilator
Director: Rajesh Mapuskar
Cast: Ashutosh Gowariker, Jitendra Joshi, Sukanya Kulkarni Mone, Sulabha Arya
Rating: 3.5/5
Gaju kaka is on a ventilator, being treated for an illness no one in his Kamerkar clan has any clue about. More than the patriarch's illness, however, the family is besieged with bigger concerns. The mad scramble among family members to pay the customary hospital visit threatens to throw preparations for Ganeshotsava, which is only a week away, completely out of gear.
As expected, there is chaos all around.
The Kamerkar family comes together to see their beloved ailing uncle, and meets Raja Kamerkar (Ashutosh Gowariker). While it's a family reunion for everyone else, for Raja it's time to meet his folks, some of whom have helped him grow but whom he hasn't met in a long time.
The timing of the hospitalisation is critical: Ganpati Bappa is due to come in seven days and any mishap will mean family mourning and cancellation of the entire 10-day festival. Kaka's son Prasanna (Jitendra Joshi) is disturbed: He is in-charge of the festivities in his chawl, and if they were to be called off, it could affect his political ambitions.
In short, a lot depends on keeping the ailing uncle alive...
Every character in this household is relatable: The ailing uncle's wailing wife (Sulabha Arya), an overlearned' IIM son who stays aloof, a family matchmaker (Viju Khote), an obese kid (who'd once gulped a coin during a magic trick), a Tupperware-selling aunty, a north Indian neighbour, a Marathi maanoos' politician, and many more.
Beneath the pleasantries, however, the family bickers over many issues: Apart from property, they fight over sharing the royalty coming from mangoes and construction of a toilet. Visiting the ailing uncle is but just an excuse for the Kamerkars to come together, talk out issues and possibly salvage some broken bonds in the bargain.
As an American character in the film points out, "They stick together despite their differences. That's the beauty of an Indian family."
Ventilator is a delightful, well-written family drama by director Rajesh Mapuskar, who previously directed Ferrari Ki Sawaari. In this over two-hour long film, Mapuskar takes you inside the hospital and makes you sit with each character. But in the midst of all the chaos, he successfully conveys his message about a father-son bond without going over the top. As the film draws to a close you don't take sides, don't dislike any character and that's where Mapuskar wins.
Produced by Priyanka Chopra, who also has a cameo, Ventilator has some remarkable performances. Sukanya Kulkarni Mone and Jitendra Joshi play their characters of Gaju kaka's children to perfection.
The theme song goes with the fervour of Ganesh festival but makes one wonder why the makers didn't think of releasing it in September. The film is cast firmly in the family mould. It's a wonderful journey that makes you peep inside your own home.
Mumbai Mirror
'VENTILATOR' MOVIE REVIEW: TILL BREATH DO US APART
Opening with the sights and sounds that precede Ganesh Chaturthi, we're introduced to celebrated filmmaker Raja Kamerkar (Ashutosh Gowarikar) who rushes out of a private screening to attend to a family emergency. All he knows is that his Gajju kaka has been admitted in the hospital and plugged on to a ventilator. Once at the hospital, he is greeted by various relatives, who're excited to catch the busy filmmaker. What follows, includes conversations about everything that this couldn't be a place or time for " noticing his baldpate, some aunts even offer home remedies that could help Raja re-cultivate his mane.
As Gajju kaka's health declines, distant relatives rush in from remote villages " some genuinely concerned, others harbouring ulterior motives. The patient in concern, who isn't revealed till the very end, is the father of Prasanna Kamerkar (Jitendra Joshi), a local politician's aide, who seems less disturbed by his father's condition and more by his inability to keep up with his odd jobs. His sporadic absence from the hospital creates a row amongst relatives. But his scattered behaviour is eventually pinned on his turbulent relationship with his father, stemming from his inability to follow the career path he'd have liked him to pursue. What transpires from the proceedings is predictable but the life lessons packed in could be more than you'd expect from such a film.
Ashutosh Gowarikar may have forsaken his acting career to wield the microphone, but going by his natural manner in front of the camera, he shouldn't have. Hogging a lion's share of the screen time, his character, in a way, plays a spectator to all the madness surrounding this hospital comedy. But as the film progresses, it is Jitendra Joshi who furnishes his character's state of mind immaculately and his performance is worth acknowledging. The film also features several legends from Marathi television, film and theatre such as Viju Khote (playing an opportunist matchmaker), Sulbha Arya (of Kantaben fame), Achyut Potdar, Sukanya Kulkarni-Mone and several others.
Ferrari Ki Sawaari director Rajesh Mapuskar handholds this one carefully, trying his best to contain the story and characters from stretching the limits of exaggeration. While he largely succeeds, he should be credited for elaborately examining the unexpressed emotions in relationships " and doing so amidst the cacophony of various other parallel tracks " without allowing either to shadow the other.
If you're amused by awkward and socially uncomfortable situations and appreciate the nuances of delicate relationships, tap that app and find a theatre near you that's screening this film.
Movie Review: Ventilator's Ensemble Cast Is Its Greatest Strength
Ventilator is a multi starrer in the true sense and boasts not just of stars, but experienced and gifted performers. With 116 artistes, director Rajesh Mapuskar of Ferrari Ki Sawaari fame at its helm, director-actor Ashutosh Gowarikar in the lead role and Priyanka Chopra as the film's producer, the stage is all set for this family drama.
The very idea of stealing Sachin Tendulkar's Ferrari in Ferrari Ki Sawaari was genius. Ventilator too has its roots in situational humour. In the film, seven days before the Ganesh festival, the patriarch of a large family suffers a stroke and is hooked onto a ventilator. The film unfolds in the hospital, where a bunch of his relatives have gathered hoping for his recovery. The film comes alive in the waiting room of the hospital. The family comes together for one man, but what unravels during the wait are age old disputes and complexities of their relationships. While the situation is rather grave, but the characters and their situations are quirky and lead to humorous moments.
It's a wonderful concept but the film is all over the place before the interval. The introduction of each character and their back stories make the first half lengthy. Most of the characters have been thrown in for the sake of humour, and seem to have little to do with the actual events in the film. The real story begins post the interval.
The second half has drama, discord and a modern take on relationships. The father-son relationship depicted int he film will leave you teary eyed. The director and his ensemble cast deserve full credit for keeping the plot interesting. The film's casting is undoubtedly its biggest strength. Gowariker plays a filmmaker in Ventilator too and this instantly makes his performance credible and effective.
Father-son duos played by Achyut Potdar & Sanjeev Shah, and also Abhijeet Chavan & Manmeet Pem, are perfect on-screen choices too. As for Swati Chitnis, Sukanya Kulkarni, Nana Joshi, Usha Nadkarni, Nilesh Divekar, Nikhil Ratnaparkhi... the list is long but each one of them shine in their characters.
It's a poetic coincidence that Dr Satish Alekar, the writer of Mahanirvan, a remarkable Indian play, is also one of the actors in Ventilator. Those who are familiar with Mahanirvan would comprehend this significance. Alekar is brilliant in the role of the father and he carries the film's brilliant climax solely on his own shoulders.
Jitendra Joshi's character could have been better etched. He plays an uninitiated political worker who is constantly at loggerheads with his father, yet confused and devastated at the same time. While all the other actors have given very natural performances, Joshi stands out like a sore thumb. Despite these minor drawbacks, Ventilator is undoubtedly an important film.
Though the subject begs for better handling, the challenge of directing such a diverse ensemble cast is definitely noteworthy. The simplicity of the film's songs like Babaand Ya Re Ya Saare Ya compliment the situations in the film very well.
Ventilator is definitely worth a watch this weekend.
Ventilator movie review roundup: Priyanka Chopra's maiden production bags good verdict, ratings from critics, audience
Priyanka Chopra's Marathi Movie, Ventilator, starring Ashutosh Gowariker, Sulbha Arya, Sukanya Kulkarni, has got good reviews from critics and audience.
- November 4, 2016 17:24 IST
Priyanka Chopra's maiden Marathi movie, Ventilator, starring Ashutosh Gowariker, Jitendra Joshi, Sulbha Arya and Sukanya Kulkarni, has received positive reviews and ratings from the critics and audience.
Ventilator is a family drama film and director Rajesh Mapuskar of Ferrari Ki Sawaari fame has written the story, screenplay and dialogues for the movie. People keep fighting on various issues, but they also remain together during hard times. The movie explores invincible bonding and it makes you laugh and cry.
Gajju Kaka, the doyen of the Kamerkar family, goes into a coma, when the family is busy preparing for Ganesh Chaturthi. The rest of the movie is all about the settling old disputes, chaos and confusion created in the family. The film has got a universal appeal and the director has made it engaging right from beginning till end, say the critics and audience.
Ventilator features an ensemble cast of Ashutosh Gowariker, Sulabha Arya, Sukanya Kulkarni, Nilesh Diwekar, Deepak Shirkey, Nikhil Ratnaparkhi, Namrata Awate Samberao and Satish Alekar. Though they do not have much screen space, they try to impress the film-goers with their brilliant performances, say the critics and audience.
Actress Priyanka Chopra, who has bankrolled the film with her mother Madhu, has made sure that Ventilator has superb production values, add the critics and audience. We bring you the verdict of some critics and viewers on the film. Check them out in the Manalo Okkadu movie review round-up:
Times of India Ratings: 4
Given any other canvas, including Bollywood, Rajesh Mapuskar would've created an equally brilliant masterpiece with the same colour and patterns. Because languages and people might change but the underlying emotions are universal. And that, is the beauty of 'Ventilator's story.
Glamsham Ratings: 3.5
VENTILATOR may be filmy and turns manipulatively emotional towards the end but its endearing simplicity; quirky fun is weaved under a positive message of living together and staying together with a refreshing ode to fatherhood. Watch it for the love of your family and love for your father
Priya Adivarekar @priyaadivarekar
Heart touching, refreshingly different & entertaining! Kudos to @priyankachopra for backing this film. #Ventilator is a must watch
@pradnyas
Watched #ventilator very real, very engaging. A good take on relationships. #mustwatch @agppl_tweets @priyankachopra @mapuskar_rajesh
Amol Khiladi @Khiladi_desi
#ventilator - 3/5 This Will Make You Cry,Laugh And Smile Huge Starcast #mustwatch @priyankachopra @VentilatorMovie
RJ Anurag @rjanurag919
There is only one word for #ventilator " Its beautiful" Must watch @priyankachopra @VentilatorMovie @jitendrajoshi27
HARISH DESHPANDE @27DESHPANDE
@priyankachopra #Ventilator Awesome and heart touching movie. Thanks for same. Full family loved it.
BollyBanchoz @mr_bollybanchoz
#ventilator @mapuskar_rajesh @priyankachopra this movie is full of fun nd complete family.Simple nd best storyline.Rajesh sir u rocked again
thevegetarianbhukkad @suchetajt 
Nikhil Gandhalikar @gandhalikarNikh 
Anup Padte @AnupPadte 
Prabhanjan @Prabhanjan_G 
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