New Delhi:
Jal is an intriguing fiction film by Girish Malik which voices the harsh truth about how the scarcity of water is threatening the pink-legged birds, Flamingos, and human beings alike during the harsh summers in the Rann of Kutch, India.
The film revolves around an overconfident water diviner named Bakka, who tries to solve the drought problems, but faces unforeseen circumstances as he succeeds in getting the water for birds but fails to get it for his village and himself.
Keeping water scarcity as the prime focus, the film is a complex and intriguing story of love, relationships, enmity, deceit and circumstances which digs out the dark side of human character. With twists that may startle, the movie is also a visual treat and has managed to showcase the Rann of Kutch like never before.
Purab Kohli has definitely got things working for him as he has delivered an outstanding performance. For a movie like Jal, it is very easy to lose control of the character but the ‘Rock On’ star managed to take the film home in a convincing way.
There were moments which could have been chopped to make the film shorter and more effective but there were also some moments which are bound to leave a lasting impression.
The background score by Sonu Nigam and Bickram Ghosh, who have composed the music together for the first time, is simply incredible. Their magic and excellence in music can also be seen in the title song with Shubha Mudgal.
After you listen to the song, it’s hard to digest the fact that the whole song has been created in single day with unique compositions like Marwa and Puriya combined with rare musical instruments like the Armenian Duduk.
Though the film has now come to Indian screens but it has already bagged praise at various film festivals including the "New Currents" section of the Busan International Film Festival 2013 and the "Indian Panorama" section of the International Film Festival of India.
Director Girish Malik, who is best known for Krantiveer (1994) and Shola Aur Shabnam (1992), has done a flawless job to get the claps from audiences.
Final Verdict: To treat your eyes with amazing Rann of Kutch, love, lust, outstanding acting and the dark side of human beings the film should be watched at least once.