Rukh is directed by Atanu Mukherjee and stars Manoj Bajpayee, Smita Tambe and Aadarsh Gaurav, and is the story of an 18 year old boy, who, after the sudden demise of his father, begins a journey of discovery, as he suspects that his father was murdered and slowly begins to unearth the secrets that might upend his world and make him see his father in a new light. The movie is a devastating account of a boy who has been shielded from the brutality of the world till now, and when a traumatic incident shakes him to the core, and makes him question his beliefs.
Atanu Mukherjee does a wonderful job in creating a world that looks harrowing and yet real, and even as he takes the movie to very dark and unpleasant places, there is a strong emotional connection between the characters that makes the movie bearable.
But, as good as Mukherjee’s writing is, he’s even better at directing, and he takes out the best from the ensemble, and the actors create some of the best, most memorable scenes from all year. Aadarsh Gaurav is indeed extraordinary in his role of a teenage boy, who is destroyed by his loss and slowly becomes more and more unstable as he searches for the truth. The ever reliable Bajapayee is great too, and Smita Tambe is beautifully understated and presents a nuanced role of a bereaved wife and a protective mother.
Yes, the movie is harrowing, but it is also an essential experience even if it will leave you shaken and devastated, and ultimately hopeful as the credits roll.
