Hrudayantar

Vikram Phadnis’ debut directorial is a warm and heartfelt story. It has the right dose of emotions and establishes a deep connect with your soul. But there’s something missing. We will get there soon enough. First, here’s what the film is about:

Those of you who’ve watched the trailer might want to think twice before paying the ticket amount because that’s more or less what the film is. For the rest, the story revolves around Shekhar (Bhave) and Samaira (Barve) who have hit a rough patch in their marriage of 12 years. Shekhar, a workaholic, doesn’t have time to spare for his wife Samaira and their daughters Nitya (Shinde) and Nysha (Vaidya). Samaira, on the other hand, manages her work and home effectively but the distance between the couple eventually leads them to contemplate taking a divorce. Their elder daughter Nitya is diagnosed with leukaemia and the family’s world turns upside down. Through the difficult time, Shekhar and Samaira rekindle their relationship, with most help coming from Nitya.

As mentioned earlier, there’s the right emotional connect that Hrudayantar establishes. But, a) the trailer reveals all and b) it’s very predictable. Moreover, Phadnis’ directorial appears to be a montage of sorts. Also, somewhere down the line, you are bound to ask if the film is about the girl battling cancer or about Shekhar and Samaira trying to reconnect.

Having said that, there are some genuinely touchy scenes in the film as well, especially the ones involving Shekhar and Nitya. Mukta, as always, is brilliant and Subodh is convincing. The supporting cast is sincere but doesn’t add a lot to the film. Hrithik Roshan does a cameo and speaks a lot through his expressions.

All in all, Hrudayantar is a good but predictable film that leaves you with mixed feelings.