From the first frame that captures Chandro and Prakashi Tomar (played by Bhumi Pednekar and Taapsee Pannu) from 1990 to the entire movie that mimics their journey to become shooting champions, the actresses (in their 30s) shut everyone who, pre-release, had criticized them for taking a role that requires them to play 60-years-old.
This adaption of young and talented women to play a retired role to the finest only opens gates for young actors to apply for roles that require them to be – age-wise -what they are not. On the other hand, it partially, if not entirely, shut the same door on the face of actors entertaining their 50s and beyond.
Anyone who has watched the film would tell you the funnier and adventurous ride it is, even when it meanders through instances of patriarchy and gender discrimination. Credits? Of course, the women in the lead, who carries more than just prosthetic makeup.
Saand Ki Aankh is based on the lives of two sisters-in-law aka “Shooter Daadis” from Uttar Pradesh’s Johri village, notorious for gender discrimination. It paints a journey of them brewing friendship post their marriage with two brothers in the family to going on to become the multiple-medal-winning shooting champions after Dr. Yashpal (played by Vineet Kumar) perceive their talent, as he is visiting the village to start a shooting range in the same.
Director Tushar Hiranandani, thereafter, carefully embeds events that follow, including the sisters peeping out for practice but not before milking cows, dealing with unwanted pregnancy, working in the fields and everything else that was once “a woman’s job”
Unlike the women in the movie, the male cast starring Prakash Jha and Pawan Chopra don the age they have been portrayed as – if you can ignore the 6-7 years gap.
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Thus, the angry man look comes naturally to them and achieves a high tone when the two sisters in law peep out of the house to participate in a shotting championship to never look back.
Through the entirety of the movie, the writers have not let the women break at points most of us would have had. The bubbly nature of them remains intact as they find happiness next to each other. The “dadies” in the movie don’t feel like “abla nari,” once again, thanks to the writer for stressing at the same.
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In a nutshell, Pannu and Pednekar have beaded a movie that would draw families to theatres if it’s one from the niche they are passionate about. And for the team with debutants, including the director, they can laugh their way to the banks. At leat that is what we believe.
