Nawaz creeped the living daylights out of me, seriously, with his more-than-superlative portrayal of the abusive village school master, who frequently indulges in violent outbursts against his pupils, both male and female. Violence is built in the fabric of this film. The arid, acacia-laden landscape, the large spaces around the village, rough and untended, unkempt households– everything points to a certain sense of foreboding, perhaps like Macbeth‘s heath.
The children are the stars of the film, matching, and often overshadowing the star actor. Shaktimaan, the little upstart, Kamal, the lover, and Mintu, the ever-faithful friend, steal the show completely, and take us into an internal monologue as to why they have to suffer the loss of their innocence through ruthless adults in an unforgiving world.
