Piku Review

Piku is a heart-warming movie about the parent-child relationship. Deepika, who plays Piku, does not waltz in with her hair streaming behind her and music playing mysteriously in the background. The movie starts with just another day in the life of a working woman who looks after her aging father. The actors portray the characters beautifully and you easily slip into the story.

Throughout the movie we notice small things like the family sitting down and eating together, talking about inconsequential things; the problems with the maid (a situation that we are only too familiar with, eh?); the minor tiffs in the family. Bhaskhor and Piku even discuss his daily bowel movements and the products therefrom matter-of-factly at meal times.

Bhashkhor, played by Amitabh Bacchan, is a neurotic and overprotective father who, in his attempts to protect his daughter (Piku) at all times, ends up causing her embarrassment at her workplace and at family get-togethers. However, his character is also very forward-thinking in that he believes his wife wasted her life by not having a career and berates his sister-in-law for doing the same. In his grudging acceptance of Piku’s active sexual life, you see a departure from the role of a traditional image-conscious father who would furiously discourage or even disown his unmarried daughter for having a sexual partner.

Rana, played by Irrfan Khan, portrays a witty, level-headed and reliable taxi company owner, who displays high levels of forbearance on the drive from Delhi to Kolkata accompanying the headstrong duo of father and daughter and their faithful man Friday.

The movie is a humorous and touching portrayal of what it means when the role is reversed and you are the one looking after your parents. It is a simple but powerful narration of life with old people and how you deal with their idiosyncrasies or dementia. It is a story beautiful in its simplicity and realism.

Rating: 4/5