Remembering Piku & Rana.....

Couple of days ago, my movie buff friend and I started reminiscing Irrfan Sir's movies. We picked up one of his last ones - Song of the Scorpion. The magic was intact, though the film failed to entertain both of us. My friend made a comment that Hindi cinema was never able to fully realize the worth of Irrfan or give him the roles he deserved, apart from maybe a Haasil or a Maqbool where his craft stood out. While we were thinking hard, films like Namesake, Paan Singh, or even Qissa cropped up. However, one small role which he played in Shoojit Sircar's Piku really stood out for me, especially as it was one of the most heartwarming and refreshing portrayals of love in Hindi cinema where both characters (Rana & Piku) just co-exist with a strange sort of connection.

There have been such a large number of articles written on Irrfan Sir and his myriad roles, acting prowess by diverse writers across the globe. One such article by Varun Grover where he talks about his meetings with the late actor, is my favourite. In the article, he writes about one of Irrfan's sayings- ‘समुद्र में थपेड़े खाते ढक्कन को समुद्र पे विजय पाने की कोशिश नहीं करनी चाहिए।’. Rana's character was also a reflection of the above saying. There is an intimacy between the two characters but neither of them try to impress each other. Both in their 30s, they seem to have found an unspoken warmth and familiarity, being part of families which are slightly dysfunctional or even eccentric. One of my favourite scenes is when Piku is confused and surprised when she finds an old building has been replaced by something new and Rana philosophically explains to her that she too is doing the same thing by selling her house. When Piku debates saying she is being practical, Rana acknowledges that maybe this is progress but once you remove your roots, what remains behind is questionable. The scene is punctuatued with the beautiful background sound of the tram passing behind amidst the picturesque background of the city of joy, Kolkata which is very metaphorical of a constant tussle between roots and progress.

When Rana finally bids goodbye, there are no over the top, melodramatic farewell songs. Instead, he mentions that he will give her a call while she nods and the beautiful song "bezubaan" in the voice of Anupam Roy soothes in. The romance is so subtle that although you wish to root for them, you are never sure of what actually transpires. Irrfan's Rana does not use a lot of words; he communicates with his eyes and gestures so that when he explicitly mentions - "Maatha Kharab nahi hai mera" - you smile along with him.

I do not like sequels but for the love of watching Rana and Piku again on screen, I would definitely wish for it. Alas......