Pihu Movie Review: A well-made Film That Refuses To Offer Much!

However clichéd this may sound, but one can't help but reiterate the line that can summarise Pihu aptly. If good intentions alone could make a good film, then most films we watch must walk away with all the glory and the adulation. Truth be told, Pihu is a well crafted film. The framing, the sequencing, the performance (extracted) out of a toddler is really praise worthy. But there's nothing more to offer beyond what we have already seen in the trailer. While one understands that every film doesn't have to be informative or enlightening, but one still seeks entertainment. Pihu, unfortunately and matter of fact, does not quite succeed in that department. If you have seen the unnerving trailer already, you pretty much have watched the film! It's as simple as that. While the pace of the narration, coupled with soundly created background scores does justice to the plot, one still wonders in the end if there was enough in the film to serve the drama or even drive home a significant message.

Director Vinod Kapri tells the story of a three year old girl (Myra Vishwakarma) left on her own in an urban high rise as her mother loses consciousness. With no other family member or domestic help in the house, Pihu tries to gauge the surroundings and the circumstances to go about her daily routine. What the tiny tot fails to understand is that her age and her innocence would go against her as she tries to play with a put on iron, a switched on geezer and an oven that she sets on accidentally.

Naturally, the narrative is filled with nail biting and heart stopping moments. It certainly isn't a child's play to watch Pihu crossing the balcony railings to reach out to her friends. Armed with fine editing, and the patience of a hunter, the director gives a fine viewing experience that has moments that will make you jump out of your seat, with your heart thumping against the ribcage. Kapri keeps the duration of the movie apt and doesn't fall prey to stretching any sequence just to dish out more thrills.

Shot in 34 days without the director employing the 'cut' and 'action' words, the makers have drawn out a remarkable performance out of the kid. Every laugh, cry and giggle you hear and every gesture she makes is organic and well placed in the narrative. And for that reason alone, Kapri's attempt needs to be noted and appreciated. From frame one to the final frame there's only Pihu who operates with only her unconscious mother shown lying in the bed. The director ensures that largely feared monotony doesn't set in as he plants those scary moments and uses various appliances as indeed voiceovers as characters.

In summation, Pihu won't bore you, but if one is watching it on a desktop or mobile, we fear, that one would drag the cursor on the timeline to jump to seek what more the next scene may probably serve. There are fine sub plots and cinematic threads Kapri wants to convey here. From parentage to the isolated and nuclear lives we live in our cities and conflicts in our urban relationships-the film tries to cover much larger ground in subtle strokes by using a true life incident as an instrument. All in all, Pihu is a fine watch without much to write home about.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 14, 2018 09:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).