Chandan (Chandan
Roy Sanyal) is an architect who bags a project at Prague and he
is to be accompanied by Gulshan (Mayank Kumar), his carefree buddy.
Chandan's constant companion happens to be a mysterious Arfi
(Arfi Lamba). But, what lies beneath is Chandan's battle with schizophrenia
and his struggle with relationships.
Early on, during
the openings credits, the movie sets the tone on what to expect in the
Czech capital. Prague is shown to be a place with architectural wonders.
And this turns out to be so for Chandan who is working on finding an idea
for his project.
One evening, he chances
by Elena (Elena Kazan), a danseuse and very soon, the two develop a bond.
By the way, it's so convenient that she had spent some time in India, that too
in Chandan's hometown of Kolkata and knows a bit of Bengali.
The rest of the
story which includes a series of flashbacks, is better not discussed,
for it could reveal the suspense. Nonetheless, despite it seeming like a
'thriller', it was possible to predict what the twists could be.
Although, there are this cannot take anything away from the fact that it is a
well-written film and the dialog has clever lines.
Most of the writing
effort seems to have gone into development of its characters.
Noteworthy among them is the role of Gulshan who is seen 'living his
life to the fullest', a spirit that Chandan admires, but fails to
emulate to due to other issues that hold him back. Elena on the other hand
is beautiful and caring, but has a strong desire to give meaning to
her gypsy roots, a reference to the Roma tribes of the region.
The scenes on the
screen are shaded by dark undertones, the heady mixture of cigarette smoke,
drugs, alcohol and women. Those that involve Prague's architecture are
shown well. One scene that is exceptional is Chandan clicking pictures of his
muse in a gypsy avatar where Kazan looks stunning.
Prague does have
a few flaws. Despite it meaning to be a suspense, the plot can be worked
out. It also has moments where it gets too involved into its characters
that it is distracting at times. There are some repetitive moments
which can be defended as having dramatic value. In all fairness, its genre
is challenging in itself.
Made on a small
budget and actors with no
name-recall, the film is a bold experiment. Director Ashish R Shukla,
who is also credited with the story, needs to be applauded for the
effort. The newer breed of directors pushing creative limits is a
positive trend that must be encouraged. It's a pleasant break from Bollywood's
blockbuster culture.
Verdict: Don't shy away from 'Prague' because it
isn't a star-studded big budget flick or that it lacks item numbers, if you are
keen about those, then stay away. 'Prague' is a serious
film and a bold attempt by a debutant director. Despite some of its
shortcomings, a film connoisseur will be happy he watched this film.
Rating 6/10:
A cerebral tale in an interesting backdrop
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