Gangster Ganga
Introduction
Every now and then, we at Popcorn Reviewss like to give a shoutout to independent films, short or otherwise to give a platform to them. It is our way of giving back to this wonderful fraternity. This is a time-permitting activity and based on our bandwidth, we handpick certain content and present it to the world in order for it to gain engagement. Once again, heartiest apologies for those who have reached out to us and we couldn’t accomodate them, and we wish the team the very best. With that, let’s get back to our review, and I have finished watching the new Hindi short film Gangster Ganga which is now streaming on Jio Cinema. From the looks of it, it did promise to be a heartfelt ride, ticking all the emotions along the way. But the USP for me was Supriya Pathak who is a prolific actor, and I would literally go out on a limb to watch her perform. So then is Gangster Ganga worth your time, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
Written by Prativaa Rathi, Gangster Ganga forms a heartwarming story between a grandmother and her grandson amidst all the adjustments in play between them. The story is indeed heartwarming and it reminded me of my equation with my grandmother up until she passed away a few years ago. My love for films can be attributed to her given that she had nudged my mom very early on, to present the world of cinema to me. From her innunerous bedtime stories to her jolly nature, the tale here made me reminiscent the good moments that I had shared with her. The screenplay standing at 25 minutes is about the right length here and it does make for a sweet little watch.
The drama does open with the introduction of the protagonist who is immersed in work, only to be frequently distracted by his grandmother who has a walking problem. There is a househelp in the household but the twist of fate results in both the parties coming closer following unforeseen circumstances. It is only in your late twenties and early thirties that you realise that you do need an elderly person around you, at times to simply listen to your worries or perhaps to tackle your own loneliness. But the saddest part is that at times there is no one, perhaps losing them along the way too. And the drama here tackles a similar theme while focusing on the friendship between the protagonist and his grandma.
The drama always showcases a budding relationship between the two protagonists despite the age gap. There is a little friction to begin with, with respect to the protagonist, but it soon transforms into something special. It is a beautiful relationship that would eventually stand the test of time too. If anything, the transformation could have been slightly more fleshed out given how abruptly the end was, but it was the warmth of the drama that surpassed any of the flaws in making for a sweet, little watch.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are wonderfully thought out, and the line which the character of grandma says, does hit home. In a scene, with the protagonist cribbing about not being able to venture out during the lockdown, she responds, ‘Even I couldn’t go out due to my injury, for me locksown is everyday'(paraphrased). This instantly connected with me given that even my grandma had paralysis for 34 years and it must have been so difficult for her. The music and BGM are quite good and capture the vibe of the drama really well. The cinematography and editing are good as well. Director Sahil Rakesh Grover definitely understands the world well and he serves a sweet, little heartfelt story that gently tugs the strings of your heart. The situations created are relatable in a nice little job done in the directorial department.
Performances
The performances are splendid here. Aparajita Dey as Radha exudes off a very positive vibe in her limited screen time presented to her. She did a pretty good job here. Veer Rajwant Singh as Ved is excellent to watch wherein the writer has also given him a quiet little character arc to dabble with. From being irritable to slowly warming up to his grandma, he presented an incredible amount of warmth in his character. Supriya Pathak as Ganga is a delight to watch. As a part of her characterization, there were some beautifully woven vulnerable moments that she had to portray, and she did that with perfection. But it was her friendly and heartwarming vibe that truly made me reminisce my grandma, and hoping she is in a happy place now without any pain.
Conclusion
Gangster Ganga is a heartwarming tale sprinkled with sweetness that makes for a heartfelt watch. Available on Jio Cinema.