Sanjoy Ray
Director: Gitanjali Rao
Cast (Voice artistes): Geetanjali Kulkarni, Anurag Kashyap, Makarand Deshpande, Gargi Shitole, etc.
The story of a Hindu girl falling in love with a Muslim boy isn’t something the audience has not watched before in Bollywood. And, it is also not for the first time that Mumbai’s authentic life has found a mirror in the movies.
But, in Bombay Rose, it is the process and the unique mode of storytelling that makes it an engaging watch.
Directed, written and designed by Gitanjali Rao, Bombay Rose is a hand-painted animation movie, which, in itself, is a unique proposition for Indian movie buffs. Breaking the monotony, the filmmaker takes a road less travelled and delivers a masterpiece in the form of Bombay Rose.
The story primarily revolves around Kamala who stays with her grandfather and sister Tara, and makes flower garlands for a living. Kamala, who also moonlights as a bar dancer, without the knowledge of her family, falls for Salim, a young Kashmiri man who is forced to flee his home state fearing for his life.
Soon, things take a U-turn and Kamala finds herself in a situation where she has to choose between love and fending for her family in the Maximum City. Similarly, we are also introduced to two other stories set in Mumbai which are equally gripping.
Currently streaming on Netflix, Bombay Rose chronicles the life and raw aspirations of people who migrate to Bombay from small towns and cities and invariably land up in desperate situations.
But then, it also pays an ode to the undying spirit of the ‘City of Dreams’ and effectively mirrors the psyche and the plight of people in pursuit of their dreams which often remain unfulfilled.
The movie, during its run-time, also touches upon several social issues but refrains from being preachy in its tone and tenor. Instead, the narrative allows the audience to form their own opinion on issues.
Kudos to both the animation and voice artistes for bringing life into the characters and treating the audience with what is nothing short of a visual feast.
