Title: I want to talk

Director: Shoojit Sircar

Throw: Abhishek A Bachchan, Ahilya Bamroo, Johnny Lever, Jayant Kripalani, Pearle Dey Kristin Goddard

Where: In theaters near you

Rating: 3.5 stars

So, how do you play a break? How do you let the magic unfold with pure silence? Well, you take a masterful director, the stature of Shoojit Sircar, and a seasoned performer, of Abhishek Bachchan’s caliber, to tell a story that is as tender as it is heartbreaking. ‘I Want To Talk’ is that delightful mix where both performance and silence intertwine to make a sharp and distinguished commentary on the temporary and eternal life of life as we know it.

Mind you, Sircar has used the meandering, meaningful pauses in his previous efforts like October and Piku, but in this film, he offers more gravitas as he refuses to overlay these tender moments with soulful melodies. Pauses here are used to ponder, as opposed to using them to highlight, if not exactly reinforce, the main subtexts the story is filled with. Bachchan Junior’s performance therefore becomes remarkably poignant and sophisticated for those with the discerning palette.

Watch Abhishek stare into nothingness, witness him watch the seasons change and landscapes change, watch him embrace the moment he is placed in, characterizing the ephemeral nature of it. The sheer visual joy of it all, coupled with the proverbial ‘thehraav’, will leave you with a lump in your throat. It’s too much to process let alone delve into, and yet the film’s warmth makes you smile.

Abhishek plays a marketing genius, someone who can negotiate anything and win almost anything. Manipulation is the operative word here. Such is his marketing brilliance that he can even sell the word manipulation under the garb of finely decorated persuasion. When life throws a curve at him – that of Shakespeare’s proprio in both degree and curvature, he decides to deal with the situation and the delicate timeline he is ultimately reduced to (less than four months). But then again, as they say, one is never prepared for the ultimate goodbye, even when they think they are. Sircar’s story offers that uncertain preparedness bordering on looming uncertainties!

The makers here aren’t exactly paraphrasing, but really reconstructing motifs to signify the message – is this how I lighten the burden of my being? Maybe by forgiving some and by seeking forgiveness from some! How to get the perfect balance? The emotional landscape here is much more challenging to navigate for a film that may appear on the surface to be slice of life, but exposes the deeper contexts and complexities.

Watch the banter between a father and a daughter, staged to give you moist eyes as much as it tries to crack you up. Watch the Doctor use a few simple words (oh, the pauses again) and some exquisite superlatives to relieve the immense tension of the tragedy. The two individuals are precariously placed in a situation, and Sircar captures the smallest dots that ultimately form the common link.

For those who admired Abhishek in films like Yuva, Guru and Dasvi to name a few, would rate this performance as one of his best. The sheer maturity, much-needed maneuverability and credibility he brings to the table make him adorable to watch. His altered physicality only makes him more lifelike, and the vulnerability in his eyes makes you want to listen to him even when it’s only his silence that speaks!