Lyricist Varun Grover makes a confident and charming directorial debut with All India Rank, the opening film of the 12th Dharamshala International Film Festival. Set in 1997, the film begins by explaining the components of Euler's identity, considered the most beautiful equation in mathematics: ei π + 1 = 0. Animated number figures appear on the screen to gently emphasize this point. We will soon learn that the voiceover is that of 17-year-old Vivek Singh (Bodhisattva Sharma), who is sent away from home to prepare for IIT. (Also Read: Agra review: Kanu Behl confronts sexual oppression in the bravest and most vibrant film of the year)
The condition
Vivek doesn’t know what his dreams are. He was always the best in his school and somehow his father RK Singh (Shashi Bhushan) knew that Vivek would make it to IIT. His mother Manju (Geeta Agrawal) has no say in the matter. Grover creates this middle-class family with his trademark sense of wit. The father has to control his urge to smoke while the mother has high cholesterol, but that doesn't stop her from eating sweets. The only thing Vivek has under her control seems to be his fate. And so he goes from his sheltered home in Lucknow to the land of IITian makers – Kota. From here, his journey takes shape in diverse and colorful ways.
Varun, himself an IIT-BHU graduate, crafts this semi-autobiographical film away from the formulaic elements of the coming-of-age genre. Yes, there are a few select friends to keep him company. And then there is the concentrated and hard-working student Samta Sudiksha, who slowly comes closer to Vivek's honesty. But despite familiar elements, Grover manages to bring in a touch of freshness and nostalgic moments.
The killer is in the attention to detail. Grover does a great job of setting the scene. It's 1997, so cell phones are nowhere near these faces. If you needed to make a call, you'd have to mark the nearest phone booth. However, it's the same phone booth element that branches off an incident that later gets Manju in trouble. (A subplot that feels a little drawn out after a while.) RK Singh also suffers at work. Yet even though these threads tie into the thematic concerns of All India Rank, it sometimes tends to drain the energy out of the story.
What works
Working with cinematographer Archana Ghangrekar, Grover constructs this world with care and grace. There is not a hint of sentimentality in the design of this debut. Special mention goes to Mayukh-Mainak for the effective use of songs, with the best saved for last in Vishal Bharadwaj's inimitable baritone.
As Vivek, Bodhisattva Sharma gives a beautiful performance, carefully highlighting the awkwardness and childlike innocence of his behavior. Then there are Sashi Bhushan and Geeta Agarwal who play Vivek's parents. It's clear on screen how much care and thought Grover put into building these two people. Their scenes together exude a casual, joyful truth. A very special moment comes when the father does a spirited “Shaktiman” move to tell her that he is always there no matter what. I found myself smiling ear to ear.
There is a high chance that All India Rank will remind you of recent dramas like Aspirants or Kota Factory, but what sets this film apart is its willingness to accept that not everyone may be equipped with the answer. But one must keep asking questions and look for that element of intrigue and wonder. Grover has created an extremely crowd-pleasing debut with a tender and gigantic heart. The goal is simple. Chase the magical equation where the heart and head fit together somewhere. Until then, explore.
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