How long has it been since I saw a movie as refreshing as the cool breeze on a sweaty evening! It was the Friday evening and my official weekend hours. Yes... weekend, for me, lasts for a few hours, and that is the Friday evening. The weekend is technically work for home. Work is work, isn't it, be it home or office. Anyways, c'est la vie! So, after a long time, I was surfing Amazon Prime to see if there was anything worthwhile, and this one popped up. The movie poster had Dulquer and Irrfan sharing a light moment with another young lady, and with tender coconut in their hands; so, by the first looks, it came across as a good movie to spend time on.
You get to traverse most of the first part with Dulquer's misgiving in his life. But then, it does not come out so on-your-face, like the typical lifeless guy with a beard. He is a guy who had to lose his passion for the sake of his father, who harps on a solid career, rather than dwelling on one's passion. For his father, Dulquer's passion was a mere insecure vocation that vacillated unsteadily, tethered by luck at the binding end. Dulquer is shown desperately seeking the attention of his love interests at a few places, and that is still reasonable for a guy with a single status. There is not much of a background for Irrfan, apart from the fact that he owns a few vehicles, but not the suave kinds, along the lines of his character in Piku; yet, he is a practical, lovable, and a rustic character. He has a brotherly affinity for Dulquer, and this clarifies or convinces us as to why he would take his personal vehicle to help Dulquer; a vehicle styled similar to the Volkswagen Camper.
So, Karwaan refers to a caravan, the vehicle that Irrfan drives to exchange Amala's mom's mortal remains with that of Dulquer's dad. Both their parents had travelled to the Ganges on a pilgrimage and the bus meets with an accident. For a few seconds, I actually could not recognize the beautiful Amala, but then her gait and body language lets you make the guess. Before the exchange act starts, there is a piece on the way the travel company and the courier company handle the demises; it does look a bit stony and dramatic, but I guess that is how it really is... perhaps more like the way George Clooney presents himself when he issues the pink slips in Up in the Air.
The exchange of conversation between Dulquer and the spoilt brat in Amala's daughter, and the situational romantic tragedies when Irrfan's tries to hit on a woman he falls for, form the rest of the movie. The movie evokes memories of Soodhu Kavvum and Neram, in the way it has dealt certain parts of the plot. Now here, I must say that my references to the other movies is certainly an injustice to Karwaan, especially after having had so much fun watching the movie. It certainly has a refreshing appeal and is a must watch. There's no doubt about it.
Karwaan was actually sandwiched between two of the many quick reading sessions of the book, Between Shades of Gray written by Ruta Sepetys. That night, after watching Karwaan, I was extending my weekend hours for a little longer, and I was not too sure if I must continue the emotionally heavy book after seeing such a light-hearted movie. But then, I reasoned it out saying that a good movie stands apart for the lightness it brings, despite the drama contained external to it. And, a good book like Between the Shades of Gray, however tragic it may be, does not dwell in your mind for the horrors endured by the protagonists (Lina and her fellow members), but the positivity and the ray of hope that beams throughout the narration.
Thereon and until the end, there was still a lot more tragedy in Lina's life. There were places in the book that were ghastly, and yet, Karwaan's aura never faded. And, neither did I feel so desolated after I finished the book.
Of course, even though there was a little hope saved at the closing of the book, when the inspecting doctor arrives, it still is not a happy ending. Could be primarily because of the number of years after which the countries surrounding Lithuania, the Baltic countries, got their freedom from the tyranny of Russia. In all, a very good book after a really long time. And it is yet another book that carries values and reinstates the spirit of hope amidst doom and despair.
Dated - Oct 06, 2018
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