Director: Dr. Chandra Prakash Dwivedi
Starring: Urmila Matondkar, Manoj Bajpai, Priyanshu Chatterjee, Sanjay Suri, Sandali Sinha, Ishaa Koppikar, Kulbushan Kharbanda, Lillette Dubey, Farida Jalal, Alok Nath and Seema Biswas
Music: Uttam Singh
Lyrics: Gulzar (and Amrita Pritam and Zehra Nigah)

The film ‘Pinjar’, (which means skeleton in Punjabi) has more meat, bones and soul in it than most Bollywood masala blockbusters. Adapted from Amrita Pritam’s novel of the same name, the film succeeds in transporting one to India of the Pre Partition era. Viewers used to seeing the ubiquitous noble Indian vs. evil Pakistani kind of scenario in Bollywood films will be sorely disappointed with this fair and somewhat accurate portrayal of the devastation wreaked on a country and her people when it is divided into two.

Gulzar provides the formal prologue introducing the tale that revolves around Puro (Urmila Matondkar), Punjabi girl from a well-to-do family who is snatched away from her doting family just before her nuptials by a Muslim youth Rashid (Manoj Bajpai) to avenge a generations old family feud. Rashid is a kind captor, he falls in love with the helpless Puro but she resents him and manages to escape. Her world falls apart when her parents refuse to take her back fearing ostracism from the patriarchal social mores prevalent in those times (and even now!). Dejected, Puro returns to Rashid and weds him after becoming a Muslim.

She never stops pining for her family and her brother Trilok (Priyanshu Chatterjee). Fate plays games with the young Puro, she undergoes much heartbreak and sorrow after a miscarriage and after she is separated from a child she had adopted. Trilok, meanwhile neglects his young wife Lajo (Sandali Sinha) as he spends all his time and energy searching for his sister.

Partition riots soon break out and things take a surreal turn when Lajo meets with a fate similar to that of Puro’s and it is now up to Puro to help her sister in law out. The end is predictable but does not take much away from the over all impact of the film. Urmila Matondkar in spite of her irritating mannerisms is quite effective as Puro, Manoj Bajpai is nothing short of perfect as Rashid. Priyanshu as Trilok and Sanjay Suri as Ramchand, the man who was to be Puro’s husband turn in very mature and credible performances.

In this film, the Director Chandra Prakash Dwivedi (of TV series Chanakya fame) has succeeded in getting excellent performances out of the peripheral characters. From the hate mongering Hindu village heads men to the old Muslim woman who imprisons Lajo, the characters have been well etched, presented and brilliantly acted out. The cinematography by Santosh Thunidiyil and the music by Uttam Singh add to the authenticity of the period feel of the film. The song 'Watna Ve' is well composed and has a rich lyrical quality to it.

The film does have some minor flaws, coincidences abound, predictable ending, avoidable song situations etc. but I can’t think of a better way to kill three hours!

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