Whenever I get to see a sheer piece of art like A SEPARATION, I feel both revived and sad at the same time. Revived because they never give you precious gems like these very often and sad because films like these make me remember those close friends of mine who don’t consider cinema, as any kind of enlightening medium through which we can learn LIFE. It also reminds me the current state of our Indian Cinema, wherein 'Star Worshipping' forcibly captures the whole lime-light and the content is given a back seat in almost all the big projects.
However, thanks to directors like Asghar Farhadi for coming up with films such as A SEPARATON which deeply satisfy our inner urge of watching good cinema infusing a new life in us through their thoughtful themes. So, if you really want to witness something intense & meaningful, as real as the characters we meet in our daily life then watch A SEPARATION as a must. The film is in Irani language, mostly shot with a handheld camera and needs to be seen reading the English subtitles. But believe me, just after 10-15 minutes into the film, you would not mind reading them at all and it will be difficult to leave it in between after getting involved with its few realistic characters.
As far as its subject goes (without revealing its shocking plot), it’s a story of a couple who are just on the verge of taking a divorce since the wife wants to leave the country with her 12 years daughter for her better future. But the husband is not willing to move because he has to look after his aged father suffering from Alzheimer as per his moral duty. The wife decides to part and starts living with her mother but the girl refuses to leave her father alone and stays. And it all actually starts when the husband hires a nurse for taking care of his ailing father in their absence. Now what happens post these first 30 minutes of the film is presented before the viewer through one of the finest written scripts in the recent times touching many sensitive issues of our society quite brilliantly.
Pointing towards the way we need to care for our loving dependent elders in their old age, the film introduces you with few close and loyal family members of a house, who are fighting with their own complexities of life individually. The drama very subtly talks about many relevant issues of our society wherein unemployment of the male member leads to tension in a couple’s life, when kids unavoidably are made to watch certain happenings around them which ideally are not meant for their age, where adolescents un-necessary get involved in their parents fights in those tender school-years and when a bad day or fate can straight away lead you to the court in front of a judge all of a sudden. A substantial part of the film revolves around the court proceedings where we are shown all the arguments from both the sides and then left to decide about what could have happened in reality and who might be the real culprit?
But reading the above lines, don’t take it as a well made murder mystery or who-done-it film with many suspects pointing towards each other. A SEPARATION is not a crime thriller but a film which goes much beyond anything you might be imagining after going through this indicative write-up. It’s a shocking SOCIAL DRAMA which reveals both the ugly as well as bright side of our society with an amazing honesty.
The best part of the film is that it never takes sides of any of its characters. The director puts the ball in your court and forces you to decide that Who could be the one with the grayish tones inside? And the film further excels in the end when you come to know that everyone is guilty but yet not guilty in real terms for their obvious reasons.
Another worth mentioning aspect of A SEPARATION is the way it portrays the importance of RELIGION in the life of a truthful person. It has sequences which skillfully show the value of religious scriptures for a GOD fearing person. Especially in the beginning, when the nurse enquires that whether she is allowed to change the clothes of an old man in absence of anyone else or not....... and whether that will be considered as a sin on her part as per Islam. It also ends on a spiritual note when just the reference of The Holy Quran curses the inner conscience of its characters and they transform with tears of innocence in their eyes.
With highly realistic and believable performances, particularly by the 12 years old Sarina Farhadi (who also is the director’s daughter), A SEPARATION takes you far away in a different world from where you come back spiritually refreshed as a new-born soul. With an open end, once again leaving the ultimate decision on the viewers, it makes a positive impact which stays with you for hours. And then as you remember it again after a few days, it makes you recall that pure and innocent soul, which is right there inside, hidden beneath the other cunning layers of our false persona.
So in order to meet that blessed soul within yourself...... watch A SEPARATION at the earliest...... and 'Revive'.
Writer - Director : Asghar Farhadi
Starring : Peyman Moadi, Leila Hatami, Sareh Bayat, Sarina Farhadi and more.
(Thanks to Himanshu Patel for recommending this true classic.)
