Deewar tells a
story of two brothers who represent the good and bad of the choices that adults
make. More importantly, it is representative of the back-story that goes into
the making of these choices – the childhood experiences that frame the context,
the socio-economic mileu that surrounds the being and the true sense of
individual disposition.
Yash Chopra’s narrative travels through these various angles
to allow for us to see right from wrong at each stage but also see the
developmental steps that create empathy for both sides. Vijay’s transformation
from being the savior of the ‘coolie’s’ to becoming the leader of a large and
pervasive smuggling enterprise was telling of the effect of single incremental
steps. One day’s challenge to the goons led to a fight with the whole gang,
which led to an invitation from the rival gang – and voila a silver bullet ride to the top job. The movie does a great
job in pulling together this sequence of events, without pause and, always
maintaining the emotional context of a family that has struggled against all
odds to stay alive, one day at a time.
Another cinematic theme that stood out through the movie
was the use of background music. The effective use of musical themes to signal
urgency, poignancy, surrender, hope, etc. was so very powerful. Being at a time
filled with uncertainty in my own life, this feature made me concur with a
classmates wish for some background music in my own reality to give me context
of understanding the happenings in any given day.
The movie brings to fore
an interesting time in Bombay’s history - as the city of hope. People from
different parts of India would migrate to make a living and to experience the
true sense of liberty that comes from the cloak of anonymity. As a family that
is forced to escape the extremes of social ostracisation, their adaptation to the
pace of Bombay’s bustle showed the infinite capacity and uniqueness of the
city.
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