“Pihu” Review: A film worth watching, but could have been so much more.

One can call it a parents worst nightmare. Indeed it is. An innocent child and curious child, all alone in the home, forced to do things on his/her own. Here we have a film where we follow a child, trying to just go on with the day, on her own. One can call it an adventure from a childs perspective. Although, the film is dark. A mother is “sleeping” and not waking up. The audience obviously understands the truth, but the child doesn’t. What we have here is a film that works purely on moments. The tension is built by the incidents.

Firstly let me say, that this is no doubt an engaging film that makes you question “Oh my god, what next??” “What next!?”, and there are definitely moments that stands out. The cuteness of the child and the innocence obviously adds on to the flavor and helps us get attached to the story. The first half provides a perfect build up, albeit there are certain faults. For example, the husband just happened to keep the iron on before leaving. It seems forced and contrived. Instead certain situations should have played out natural, within the script, where we see the child landing herself in trouble, instead of the trouble inviting itself, or already there. Also, the tap just happens to still be open, with water still running. Basically the situation is laid out for the child, instead of an innocent child’s innocence landing her in scary situations. Of course there are certain moments where the child does things that would get adults squirming in fear, but it is far and few in between.

The second half is where the tension rises when the iron tips over. Oh by the way, the iron just happens to have this problem where it doesn’t automatically turn off. Another convenient add-on for the sake of tension. It could have been smarter. But alas, the second half succeeds in giving us the feeling of a race against time. What keeps us hooked is the hope that something more will happen. At various intervals, the father calls and Pihu answers the call. Through the present situations in the script, we learn of a backstory, which also seems half baked. But one can ignore that, since the main story is about the girl, alone in this horrendous situation. We always have the feeling that things will get worst for the girl, but the stakes never fully increase. Ultimately we are left wondering, what is the greater purpose of this film?

The director, Vinod Kapri, has done a BRILLIANT job when it comes to the young child’s performance. She is a natural and her innocence is what makes the film what it is! It works because of her. She is literally the only actor in the film. Everyone else is only heard either though the phone, or behind the locked door. Truly the director understands the psychology of children. The technicalities are impressive as well, considering how the entire film is shot in one location. The camera angles, the use of lights, the background score to build tension. Everything blends perfectly.

Overall, “Pihu” is worth a watch from an experimental point of view. Truly parents should watch this film. Yes, from an analysis standpoint the screenplay could have been stronger, but such films should be encouraged.

Rating: 3 Stars.