'Sara's' review: Natural depiction of pregnancy issues, motherhood, and cinema
What's the story
Women are capable of giving birth. But what if the act of parturition becomes the sole defining identity of a woman? Our society refuses to believe that some people do not want to have kids and Jude Anthany Joseph's latest Amazon Original Film Sara's deals with this topic pleasantly. At nearly two hours, the movie is simple, straight, and touching. Here's our review.
Plot
Sara-Jeevan seem made for each other, until 'good news' arrives
Sara (Anna Ben) is sure from an early age that she would never bear kids. The reasons are manifold--pain, sacrifice, or, hassles of childcare. An assistant director by profession, she wants to make her own movie and build a career. Luckily, she meets Jeevan (Sunny Wayne), who also despises having children. However, an eventual accidental pregnancy finds them on different pages.
Elements
It subtly attacks casting couch, remake fever, star attitude, sexism
With Jeevan wanting to keep the child as well, Sara finds herself alone and frustrated. Will she let go of her dream and give in to the happiness of others, like countless women continue to do? Watch the movie to know the answer. The slights aimed at sexism, star attitude, inaccurate depiction of medical procedures in the movie are enjoyable. Music is exceptionally impressive.
Key players
The main actors: We get several nuanced performances
Ben ably handles the weight of her character. True to her words, we get "drama, music, and humor," along with a family focus in Sara's. Benny P Nayarambalam (Sara's father) who is Ben's real father, is apt as a feminist father, a character we've seen in films like Thappad. Mallika Sukumaran (Jeevan's mother) is outstanding and Dr. Hafees's (Siddique) monologue on pregnancy is poignant.
Verdict
Don't expect scathing criticism/revolution, lighthearted take; gets 4/5 for effort
From a structural point of view, there is no villain or conflict here. Even if there is societal pressure and an orthodox mother-in-law, the real issue is Sara's dilemma with what should be her choice. Sara's just sneers at societal flaws, holding a mirror. It doesn't become a scathing rebuttal of the system. Another complaint is the length of the film. Verdict: 4/5 stars.