‘Karwaan’ (कारवाँ) in the Hindi language means a group of people on a journey. The film very aptly justifies this name by introducing and following three characters, who are completely unique in their nature, but they are together on a journey of self-discovery.
The film directed by Akarsh Khurana, who was directing his second feature film, has a very solid story to tell with some kind of realization although the script is laid out and lazy. It’s up to the audience to extract the subtle messages of life from the story that becomes better with the screenplay towards the second half.
In ‘Karwaan’, we meet the first protagonist Avinash (Dulquer Salman), an IT professional- who seems to be a lonely and lost guy. As a college-going kid when he was more interested in pursuing a career in photography, he couldn’t live his dream because of his authoritarian father.
Avinash never had an easy bond with his father. So, when one day he hears the news of the untimely death of his father in a road accident, he was clueless about the whole situation and his reaction was never emotional. He, however, wanted to do all the religious rituals by receiving the body of his father in a coffin.
This is where things become sidesplitting in a strange way when the dead body he received from the cargo department turns out to be of some lady, who also died on the same trip.
His search for his father’s body takes him and his friend Shaukat (Irrfan Khan) from Bengaluru to Kochi. Shaukat also had complex family issues with his father that had forced him out of his house in his childhood probably.
Watch the Movie Trailer – ‘Karwaan’
The film initially focuses on the two friends’ journey as they try to understand relationships and life, amidst a tragedy. The whole story becomes even more interesting and engaging with the entry of the third key character Tanya (Mithila Palkar) – a free-thinking, modern, rebellious type girl who joins them, and that further adds color to the quirky setup.
‘Karwaan’ is one of those Hindi (Bollywood) films that are very much at odds with diverse characters in a peculiar situation trying to find direction with statements on life, death, love, relationship, longing, etc. The whole story of the film is based on the backdrop of tragedy, yet the treatment is mostly amusing and humorous.
Irrfan Khan’s character is probably wisely written and probably apt for the actor. His behavior and madness are very much likable with exceptional comic timing. In fact, other than the three lead characters, even the side acts play crucial roles in driving the key message forward.
While I would not say it is the finest written piece, ‘Karwaan’ with its amazing music, absolutely stunning cinematography and relatable characters is definitely a must-watch. Yes, it’s much better than many of the road movies we have watched lately.
Where to watch Karwaan (2018)
