April May 99
Introduction
In a scene in the Hindi film Dil Chahta Hai (2001), you witness the three protagonists sitting on a ledge overlooking the sea with the sun setting in the background. The three have been friends for ages, but the setting sun has a story to tell. There is a ship in the sea somewhere, that a character relates to their present and their future – within sight in the moment but sailing into a sea of oblivion in future. The new Marathi film April May 99 deals with this similar sentiment in a different timeline – even as you are transported to the picturesque town of Konkan in the late 90s. To be specific, the year is 1999 and the occasion is the summer holidays – and ask any 90s kids (like me) what they miss the most – and the answer would be freedom during our month and a half holiday season in the middle of the year. The feeling is mutual for the three protagonists Prasad (Shreyas Thorat), Krushna (Aaryan Menghji) and Siddhesh (Manthan Kanekar), even as they wish to while away their time, occasionally indulging in a game of cricket but in hindsight, creating memories that would last a lifetime. But there is a catch – their summer holidays is about to be ruined given that Prasad’s father wants him to visit Mumbai in order to learn the English language!
Story & Screenplay
Written by Rohan Mapuskar, Kunal Pawar and Bimal Oberoi, the underlying theme of April May ’99 is that of slice of life, particularly given how the events of the film unfold. There is a tinge of innocence even as you are introduced to Jaie (Sajiri Joshi), the little girl who visits the Konkan village during her summer holidays. It is clear that her character will be the catalyst in the tale, even as she volunteers to teach the boys the English language during the summer vacation, an idea that the boys readily agree upon, given how they would get to spend time with each other. There is a momentary trait of happiness and joy that in hindsight is irreplacable, even as the writing prompts you to take a sweet little trip down memory lane.
The connecting tissue of the film remains the friendship that the boys share – being together in several laugh out loud moments during their tryst with English. It is interesting how Prasad, Krushna and Siddhesh are virtually the same person in terms of some of their traits – all of them aren’t good in studies, all of them just want to while away their time watching the sea at the sea-shore or even indulge in a game of cricket. They are so closely-knit like a sew on a richly embroided cloth, that the presence of Jaie in the midst, adds an interesting dynamic in the group.
Krushna remains the most sensitive in the group – almost having a dislike for any girl, while also sitting by the well and talking to his pet turtle Shanti for hours. Perhaps, there is a strand of insecurity somewhere that he presumes would hamper his friendship with Prasad and Siddhesh – when Jaie enters the vicinity. And while the other two boys are a little more disarming, you witness a subplot that resembles a similar conflict that was showcased in Dil Chahta Hai, with a little difference in tone. While the lead up to the argument in the latter was a playful banter, the leadup here was an accumulation of frustration and a potential trait of insecurity on part of Krushna – even while being on the receiving end of a slap similar to ‘Akash’ in Dil Chahta Hai.
The beauty about this conflict is directly related to the demographic of the boys, almost being a reminder on how age defines the simplicity of life. So it doesn’t take an entire second hour to resolve the conflict – in fact, it is just a matter of few scenes, even as the group friendship grows stronger. In a scene, you see the group citing on how the ship in the sea resemble their friendship – a nod to the scene from Dil Chahta Hai – catering to a slightly more idealistic philosphy of life and friendship.
The emotional core of the drama is reserved for an elderly character who doesn’t miss an opportunity to impart knowledge. This has a significant contribution with respect to its eventual payoff, as compared to the minor arc of Jaie who doesn’t have her mother – a subplot that remains half-baked and a tad underpar. The deviation of the plot towards puberty (in a scene, you see the boys being acquainted with the menstrual cycle) and the hints of love (with the three boys enjoying the company of Jaie) is a tried and tested route, but it adds to the emotional core of the drama particularly with respect to its moving final act. The passage is also a bitter reminder on how time waits for no one, and although there are promises made of regrouping, it doesn’t always materialize – just like the summer of April and May in the year 1999.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are breezy with a tinge of humour that erupts out of either the situations the characters are in, or the English language that the protagonists learn. In a scene when a character utters ‘ I Am Thank You’, it was hilarious given the trait of innocence that laces this line. In that regard, the lines are well thought out and pretty funny. Even from a philosophical point of view, the lines sprinkle gentle and heartfelt anecdotes of life along the way. The music by Rohan-Rohan is good but I really didn’t like the song placements in the narrative, something that felt stale from a narrative standpoint. With the characters randomly breaking into a dance on more than one occasion, it briefly disconnected me from the drama, only for the writing to pull me back into the narrative. The BGM though rides on the wave of nostalgia while deftly enhancing the impact of several heartfelt moments in the narrative. The cinematography is beautiful comprises of wide-angle shots that beautifully capture the terrain of Konkan. Even from an emotional standpoint, the frames always manage to keep you invested in the journeys of the protagonists.
The editing pattern is crisp while catering to the slice of life genre rather well, while assimilating a variety of scenes together and keeping the emotional core of the characters intact. Director Rohan Mapuskar in his directorial debut shines while probably picking a tale from his own personal childhood diary. His characterization slightly overpowers his world-building but he handles the tone of the drama rather sensitively. The focus remains on the innocence of the characters that keeps the drama in check, and breezy most of the time. What this also results, are some rather emotional moments sandwiched between bouts of humour wherein the direction really shines through!
Performances
The performances are pretty good by the members of the cast. Shubhangi Bhujbal as Shaila, Saee Brahme as Shraddha, Madhuri Bharti as Prachi, Pooja Suresh as Pushpa and Gauri Kiran as Sushma have their moments to shine. Soumitra Pote as Prabhakar, Raviraj Kande as Suresh and Ananda Karekar as Pradeep are first rate while leaving a lasting impression. Rajashree Potdar as Bhattin Kaku delivers a heartfelt performance that is mounted on top of pearls of wisdom that she frequently imparts.
Manthan Kanekar as Siddhesh is sincere and earnest while silently being a glue of the group, keeping his two besties together. Shreyas Thorat as Prasad exudes of innocence while contributing to the fun quotient in the drama through his body language and antics. Aaryan Menghji as Krushna has a tremendous screen presence and he has a variety of emotions to play with, which he imparts rather effortlessly. Sajiri Joshi as Jaie has a radiating presence too coupled with a disarming smile, that drives her performance here. She deftly makes an impact with her confident posture while also accounting for the emotional core of her character. She was a treat to witness here.
Conclusion
Backed by solid performances, April May 99 is a sweet little nostalgic trip down memory lane that makes for a wonderful watch.