‘Panchak’ review: A half-spirited attack on superstition – Scroll.in

Ananta Khot has died. He has willed that his physique be donated for medical analysis slightly than be cremated. Ananta (Dilip Prabhavalkar) didn’t imagine in arcane rituals, nor does his scientist son Madhav (Adinath Kothare). However the remainder of the Khots do. Thus begins Panchak, a comedy that makes use of child gloves to land physique blows on superstition.

The Marathi-language movie, directed by Jayant Jathar and Rahul Awate, has been launched in cinemas with English subtitles. The title refers back to the perception that if any person dies throughout an inauspicious interval, 5 different members of the family will perish inside a 12 months – until a set of rituals is adopted. This follow advantages solely the astrologer Joshi (Vidyadhar Joshi), however Panchak is just too delicate to make this crier of direness an apparent goal of its critique.

There are sufficient Khots to worry for his or her lives. Madhav’s brother Aatma (Anand Ingale) and his readily terrified spouse Kaveri (Nandita Patkar) expect a child. Ananta’s aged siblings Bal (Satish Alekar) and Uttara (Bharti Acherkar) are by the discuss of the curse too. Madhav’s Gujarati sister-in-law Veena (Deepti Devi) contributes to the mayhem. It’s left to Madhav to drill some sense into his household.

The dialogue displays the Marathi dialect prevalent within the Konkan, the place the movie is ready. Amidst fairly homes and soothing greenery, the 37-minute film stumbles via a number of humourous set-pieces and fairly a couple of overstretched scenes. It means effectively however mishandles its premise.

Among the many extra imaginative elements is the translocation of Western opera to the Marathi milieu. However the shrill tone – by no means helpful when taking down deep-seated custom – and the slapstick comedy undermine Panchak ever so typically. Madhav’s ploy to rid his household of obscurantist considering is half-hearted too.

Dilip Prabhavalkar mercifully lingers on even after his passing within the type of flashbacks. The remainder of the forged carry out effectively, with Nandita Patkar noteworthy because the simply vulnerable Kaveri.

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