“Beyond The Clouds” Review: Ishaan Khattar is a revelation in this well made film.

Majid Majidi is known for conveying powerful emotions effectively, in the simplest ways. That is his main trademark as a filmmaker, and it can be seen in all his films.  Most of his films follow a journey of the central character, and through that journey we are let into an array of emotions as we see the character struggle to achieve his goal. His recent film “Beyond The Clouds” is no different. Simply put, ‘Beyond the clouds’ is about a street peddler named Amir, and his shady lifestyle. When he meets with his estranged sister, Tara, things take a turn when she tries to protect him. She ends up landing in jail for attempted murder, and could end up with a life sentence if the man dies.  The rest of the story is about how Amir does whatever he can to try and get her out. This includes taking care of, and buying medicines for the person who Tara attempted to murder, so that he survives. This ironic situation, and the moments that follow, is what makes this film less about the outcome and more about everything that happens till then.

The screenplay moves forward smoothly. We understand the backstory of our main characters through present moments and dialogues, instead of flashbacks. That works. The film keeps you interested and curious to know what will happen next, and what could possibly go wrong (The atmosphere is such that we know things won’t go as planned). Our protagonist Amir is definitely put in quite the situation, and what makes his character so fascinating is his human element, even within such a shady lifestyle. He starts off as a grey character, but as the film goes on, we see a human element in him even though he remains trapped. His interaction with a particular family that he meets (Won’t give too much away),  is beautiful.  Even Tara’s track, within the prison walls, keeps you engaged due to the sweet relation that she builds with a particular child of a fellow inmate. The innocence that we see within certain characters, placed in such a heavy circumstance, is one of the major strengths of this film. The story is simple, but it is the screenplay that keeps us engaged.

The direction by the master filmmaker Majid Majidi enhances the screenplay. It’s amazing to see how foreign directors capture India so differently, compared to Bollywood filmmakers. While this is an Indian film, the foreign touch is quite evident. Even in this film we have have glimpse of Majid Majidi’s fascination towards children (Which is evident in his other films), although this film focuses mainly on our adult protagonist. The cinematography is simple, yet works wonders. Much of the framing is well thought of and it’s as if we, the audience, are looking through a window. That is how intimate it feels.  The music by A.R Rahman is a delight. Mostly just used in the background, at times there is a very experimental feel to the music, using just the sound of ‘tabla’ to evoke an emotion. The editing is crisp. All the technical elements compliment each other.

Now to the acting. This film, according to me, gives us one of the best debuts in recent years. Ishaan Kattar (As Amir) is a revelation! It’s difficult to believe that this is his first film (He worked as a child actor once, but that doesn’t count). His dialogue delivery, expressions and body language is natural to the core. I predict a promising future for this young actor! We can feel his pain, and I genuinely believe that his acting contributed greatly to the connectivity that we feel with his character. Malavika Mohanan (Tara) surprises. Her character doesn’t have much to actively do throughout the film, but she manages to keep you engaged during her scenes, albeit at times she comes across as a bit too over dramatic.

Overall, this is a well made film. Those who have seen previous films of Majid Majidi may compare and find this one to be less immersive or powerful. I agree, but as a stand alone movie, ‘Beyond The Clouds’ works. Majid Majidi has managed to make an Indian film while keeping much of his own trademark style of storytelling intact.

3.5 out of 5