Pagglait; a film with a different streak / Sanjiva Sahai

🎥 Pagglait
A Netflix original Hindi movie streaming now

⬜️ Tragedy strikes the Giri family when Astik dies just after a few months of his marriage leaving behind a young widow. Another take on the decadent societal norms and the age-old perception on death, loss and widowhood- you might think and anticipate. Thankfully, writer-director Umesh Bist manages to brush aside the clichés to bring in some new insight, underlined by wit and a relatable plot.

⬜️ I guess this is for the first time Arijit Singh is being introduced as a composer. Songs and theme tracks are heartwarming. They might not be chartbusters but are apt for the movie. Arijit and Neelesh Misra have done the lyrics which, to me, appeared average.

⬜️ The ensemble cast empowers the film with authenticity and some memorable moments. The patriarchy, the inner wranglings, the greed, the romance – it’s all there in this saga featuring three generations. Sanya Malhotra shines gloriously in an understated performance. Ashutosh and Sheeba, as her parents-in-law, are again delightfully subtle and genuine. Shruti Sharma (Sanya’s friend) and Sayani Gupta (in a brief appearance) have some off-beat sequences to their credit. Raghubir Yadav, Rajesh Tailang, Meghna Malik and Jameel Khan contribute their bit to add some more dramatic tension, but nothing path-breaking.

⬜️ Watch if you have time and a subscription.
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