SHIP OF THESEUS: rarest of the rare, one-of a- kind cinema [4.5/5]

It is not always for a filmmaker to be evolved as an utter example of great artisan-ship in creating stories that impress you with beautiful amalgamation of moving visuals & sounds but sometimes, even a viewer would require to contribute a good amount of active participation bodily & mentally both…& no one can deny that it is rarest of rare case when it comes to Indian cinema [Considering Bollywood just being a small part of the whole].

Debutante Anand Gandhi’s thought-provoking, soul-stirring, brain-stimulating philosophical drama SHIP OF THESEUS is one of a kind cinema. It not only fuels your senses, mainly the thinking bones but also questions rationally the very existence of your beliefs, philosophy & ideas about life…that too, in the most impressive way ever in the history!

Founded on a paradox popularly known as ‘ship of theseus’ which, in simple words, can be put as ‘if a ship gets all its parts replaced with new ones, will the ship be same as it was before or it will be a changed one?’. It intriguingly weaves three razor-sharp stories that not only are sensitive to the care but intelligently coherent, entirely relevant, very much real and surprisingly entertaining too. So, its not one of those ‘lackluster, all pseudo-intellectual long monologues- no entertainment’ arty farty!

Aliya, after losing her eye-sight from a corneal infection, develops a unique ability to photograph people & things around her by just monitoring the sound they make. Thanks to the medical science, she is now ready for a corneal transplant. Will the senses rebel to work normal or she will find a new route to enjoy life?

Maitreya, a cultured monk involved religiously in a fight against drug making multi-nationals to ban animal testing, is diagnosed with advanced stage of liver cirrhosis that would enforce him to inhale medicines he always was in opposition to. Will he be able to overcome his inner conflicts for the sake of saving his own life?

Navin, a money-driven stockbroker stumbles on the truth about illegal kidney selling rackets in the city just after he’s done with his kidney transplantation. Now in the piercingly painful guilt of being an accused of same sin, will he , for a change, rise up for the right leaving his fascination for worldly possession aside?

All these questions will sure have a definite answer to conclude things but not without overwhelming you with an irresistibly confident & competent cast that delivers a flawless textbook performance. Aida-El-Kashif sweetly slips into the character of a blind girl and even for once, you will not bring her proficiency into matter. She is poised, comfortable, convinced & aptly natural. Neeraj Kabi gives his blood & flesh to the character of monk, in literal sense. Watch his physical transformation during his infirmity days and you’ll know how far an actor can go to make it all believable. Sohum Shah is extremely likeable and comes out as the most alluring performer of the lot. Even the co-artistes mark their presence with a sheer honesty and total dedication to their respective jobs.

Pankaj Kumar’s breathtaking cinematography does not need words to express its brilliance. When was the last time you saw something so absorbing that you never want it to end? From capturing the vivaciously sound of nature and the silence crowded lanes in metros can produce, you’ll never find a single frame that is not imaginative, that is not impressive. Great job done!

To sum up things, Anand Gandhi boldly sails through the changing times in Indian cinema, leaving all his contemporary filmmakers behind and setting up new promises of a better Bollywood, surely not bigger in budgets but greater in concepts and more ardent in execution  He’s one hell of the best things happen to Indian cinema in recent times. And, for the film? Well, do not call yourself a cinema-lover or a film-fanatic, if you haven’t watch it twice, at least. [4.5/5]