Gour Hari Dastaan: The Freedom File

Staring: Vinay Pathak, Konkona Sen Sharma, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Ranvir Shorey, Divya Dutta
Rated: 6/10
 
How could a real life freedom fighter’s post Independence fight for recognition not be full of moving moments? How could Vinay Pathak not make a mark playing such an intense but determined struggler? How can a movie so relevant to an independence day release fall so flat on its stomach?These and many such questions stare Ananth Mahadevan’s well-meaning Gour Hari Dastaan caper. With all the Government apathy, the decades of struggle of a real life character in Gour Hari Das to merely get a freedom fighter’s certificate not have drama in it? Amazingly, that’s the single most important thing missing from this film of utmost potential.
 
Konkana Sen Sharma as the wife of Gour Hari is wasted in the role of a wife-has-to-take-it-all roll even as Ranvir Shorey as the journalist gives some pithy moments to the film.Not that Vinay Pathak forgot his histrionics at home. He does whatever he can but the film’s script really has nothing much to eek out anything meaningful from it.Sad, Mahadevan could have given us so much more, especially with such a rich experience in his treasure chest. 

Source: Sunday Pioneer, 16 August 2015

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