Star Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Ahilya Bamroo, Pearle Dey, Jayant Kripalani, Johny Lever, Kristin Goddard
Good stuff: Abhishek Bachchan’s solid performance and the meaningful core message of the film.
What’s Bad: The overly drawn-out runtime and sluggish pacing.
Watch or not? If you’re into thought-provoking, offbeat cinema, give it a shot. Otherwise, it might not be for you.
Director: Shoojit Sircar
Loo Break: Depends on you!
Language: Hindi
Available On: Theatrical release
Runtime: 122 Minutes
Movie Review: I Want To Talk, a survival story that fails to be emotionally deep
Director Shoojit Sircar and Abhishek Bachchan team up for I Want To Talk, a biographical drama about resilience and survival in the face of insurmountable odds. The film is based on the real-life story of Arjun Sen, a man who fought a prolonged battle against cancer while trying to balance his personal and professional life. While the movie is full of grit moments and determination, it fails to connect emotionally with the spectator at many points. Let’s take an analytical look at the movie here in the review of the movie. The Story: A Salesman Who Refuses to Give Up
Arjun Sen, in all his charisma as a marketing professional, hails from the United States. Being a divorcee with a young daughter, Reya-Perale Dey-Arjun is the man who can sell anything at any time with his charm. Be it convincing people that his pizza happens to be the best in the market or juggling personal challenges, he’s a man full of determination.
However, fate twists when Arjun receives his diagnosis of cancer. Despite his illness, he never lets his daughter know what is going on. Instead, he sends her video messages from the hospital bed as he undergoes treatment after treatment. The diagnosis also ends him the job and home, but he strangely clings to his prized Cadillac.
What follows is Arjun’s incessant fight with cancer. His doctor gives him 100 days of life, but Arjun proves to be the exception, bracing himself for more than 20 surgeries and an uncounted number of hospital visits. During this time, he faces isolation, heartbreak, and challenges that test his mental and emotional limits.
A Mixed Script: Powerful Premise, Uneven Execution
The story of I Want To Talk is inspiring, but execution does not always live up to the strength of its premise. Written by Ritesh Shah, this screenplay aims to try and combine elements of humor, pathos, and realism. It succeeds in parts and fails to deliver the emotional impact such a story seems to deserve.
The first half of the film lags on and is utterly meandering. The narrative fails to capture the attention of the audience and keeps dwelling upon the mundane minutiae in Arjun’s life. The film hails into strides after the intermission. Here Arjun undergoes transformation from denial to being a determined survivor.
However, the film misses the emotional beats. The distance between Arjun and his daughter, even at crucial moments, is unnatural. There is a coldness and the sudden burst of affection that this bond should have been able to make it more relatable.
Missing emotional punches and speed issues
For a film treating such a potent theme, I Want To Talk surprisingly lacks heartbreaking moments. The viewers expect an emotional rollercoaster, but the story does not provide enough of those “lump in the throat” scenes that define great dramas.
Other than that, the pace doesn’t help. The excess slowness of the first half may impress the puritans of cinema, but it does strain the patience of common audiences. A faster-paced, compelling narrative would have worked wonders in keeping the viewers sitting.
Abhishek Bachchan Ace Performance
One of the film’s strongest assets is the performance by Abhishek Bachchan. He does justice to Arjun Sen with a certain vulnerability, humor, and resilience. It feels quite authentic, particularly in the scenes where he interacts with his daughter or tackles his fears regarding his condition.
Ahilya Bamroo as the older Reya gives a restrained and heartfelt performance, while Perale Dey as the younger Reya brings innocence and charm to her role. Jayant Kripalani as Dr. Deb provides solid support, though his role is somewhat underwritten. Kristin Goddard, as Arjun’s helper, leaves a mark in her limited screen time.
Direction: Shoojit Sircar’s Struggles with Emotional Depth
Shoojit Sircar, the man behind films like Piku and Vicky Donor, brings his signature blend of humor and drama to I Want To Talk However, this time around, it doesn’t quite work.
Sircar could appeal to realistic film buff crowds, but he turns off the mainstream by taking too long an amount of time in delivering the story, losing himself in the process of being realistic. The film lacks a compelling narrative flow that will help make it a memorable film overall.
Technical Aspects and Music
Visually speaking, the stark contrasts of Arjun’s life—be it between the sterile hospital setups and the seclusion of his personal space—find beautiful expression on the big screen. Still, cinematography doesn’t connect with the heart of the story more often than not.
Music scores have been kept to the bare minimum and do little to leave a mark. With only two songs, the background score remains rare and effective in bits but does little justice to key scenes.
Final Thoughts: A Blemished But Respectable Effort
I Want To Talk is an earnestly made film that sparkles in parts but founders in its execution. While the film boasts a commendable performance by Abhishek Bachchan and an inspiring true story, at the same time, it struggles with pacing issues and emotional engagement.
The climactic discovery of the true Arjun Sen lends a notion of verisimilitude but comes too late in the game to salvage the film’s failures. For offbeat drama enthusiasts, it might be worth a view, though for those demanding something rich in emotional charge, such a movie may not quite deliver.
Stay tuned to Club4Celebs for more updates.
