Abhishek Bachchan delivers an extraordinary performance rising above the uneven storytelling. The father and daughter dynamics are the movie's strongest suit
Ahilya Bamroo and Abhishek Bachchan in 'I Want To Talk'. (X)
Shoojit Sircar, known for his films like Piku (2015), October (2018) and Sardar Udham Singh (2021), focuses primarily on grief, death and hope.
His latest release I Want To Talk also dabbles with similar themes. In fact, it feels like an extension of his previous films, so much so that, some parts of Abhishek Bachchan’s characterization have a hangover of Amitabh Bachchan in the engrossing Piku.
Based on an incredible real-life story, I Want To Talk focuses on Abhishek Bachchan’s Arjun Sen. Arjun is a typical marketing man who can manipulate customers with ease.
He has given more importance to rising high in his career, and as a result, his personal relationships aren’t in the best shape.
The story takes a turn when Arjun’s professional career hits rock bottom when he is diagnosed with a particular type of cancer.
His doctor, Dr Deb played by Jayant Kriplani, gives him a timeline of just about 100 days leading to a major metamorphosis in Arjun Sen’s life.
This is the story in brief.
Abhishek Bachchan in ‘I Want To Talk’. (X)
A story like I Want To Talk relies a lot on how well your central character showcases the gamut of emotions. And Abhishek Bachchan is easily the movie’s biggest strength. He gets into the skin of the role.
It is a character filled with many layers and Abhishek makes sure that the viewers root for him in spite of the fact that Arjun isn’t always likeable.
How he portrays the initial hopelessness to eventually transform himself into a fighter is simply outstanding.
The actor particularly shines in the scenes with the daughter played by the fantastic Ahilya Bamroo.
The way he portrays Arjun’s possessiveness and the attempts to reconnect with the daughter is heart-touching.
Ahilya Bamroo more than holds her own opposite Abhishek. She wonderfully conveys the emotional turmoil of a teenage daughter caught in a complex situation.
The intense scenes between her and Abhishek are a delight to watch. Underneath the anger, there is also a tenderness which comes out strong.
Apart from the father and daughter dynamics mention must also be made of the equation between Arjun and Dr Deb. The scenes between them have shades of humour particularly the portions of banter.
A scene which deserves a particular mention is when Arjun crashes into Dr Deb’s Sunday lunch and comes to know that most of his stomach has to be cut. Jayanth Kriplani as Dr Deb plays his part with a lot of warmth giving the movie some of its best moments.
A major issue with I Want To Talk is its way too languid pace. The movie feels way too slow with some repetitive shots. The film also needed a much better exploration of Arjun’s relationship with his ex-wife.
It comes across as a side note adding little heft. The portions featuring Johny Lever also drag down the movie significantly.
The attempt to infuse humour into a morbid subject like this doesn’t always land, unlike an October.
A movie like this hasn’t got much place for music, still, the tunes are lacklustre, to say the least.
On the other hand, Avik Mukhopadhyay’s cinematography is of a fine order. He does a fine job of capturing the various moods of the protagonist through his lens.
Missing someone is okay, but remember the other person knows it! 👀
Living the little moments of #IWantToTalk#IWantToTalk In Cinemas 22nd November#ShoojitSircar #AhilyaBamroo #JohnyLever @ronnielahiri #SheelKumar @jayantkripalani @filmsrisingsun @Kinoworksllp @writish… pic.twitter.com/VgDG4wQNjw— Abhishek 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧 (@juniorbachchan) November 18, 2024
Overall I Want To Talk leaves something to be desired. Given the emotional core of the subject, the film could have been much more, yet Abhishek Bachchan’s stand-out act along with the main message of fighting against all odds make it worth watching.
(Views expressed here are personal.)
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