Language: Marathi
For the longest time, you think Dithee is a film about death. Quite suddenly, though, it turns into a picture about life, about the myriad glories of its very existence.
And then, it dawns on you. The two always go hand in hand, life and death. One cannot exist without the other. Sumitra Bhave’s farewell gift, to anyone who watches her final work, is simply a momentary glance at a fundamental truth. Dithee means ‘seeing’. Perhaps the title of the film refers to that singular moment of clarity the central character Ramji has, while dealing with extreme grief.
Ramji is a grand old fellow, and a devout follower of the Warkari faith. For the last 30 years, he has unfailingly participated in the Wari, the annual pilgrimage of the faithful to Pandharpur. He’s the kind of person friends turn to for advice or solace, and he’s never short of wisdom to assuage them, usually dipping into his vast reservoir of faith and scripture to dish out a quotable Sant Dnyaneshwar quote or two. So, he cannot fathom why life has turned on him in such a cruel manner – his young son, a married man, has drowned in an overflowing river, drifting away to oblivion just as the young man’s wife gave birth to their child.
There’s an obvious solution to Ramji’s crushing situation right in front of him. His newborn grandchild, who’s already destined to live a life without even being seen by his father, deserves all the attention possible. Yet, Ramji is unable to see it. He goes numb, completely unable to process this terrible twist of fate. Instead, he flashes back to moments of his life, finding only questions instead of closure – questions about the value of his lifetime of worship, and about the very meaning of existence.
Dithee is about one particular incident on one particular night soon after Ramji’s crippling loss, an all-encompassing moment in which life sets him right after rudely shaking him up. It is a simple, elegant film; flush with symbolism and anchored by some terrific performances. It may also seem like a timely film, given its release so close to the filmmaker’s passing, while we’re also somehow collectively living through a time of inexplicable, unimaginable loss. (The film was, in fact, completed in 2019. Most will only get to see it now, with its streaming release on Sony LIV.)
There have been some outstanding Indian movies about bereavement in recent times – films that centre around one particular death and then explore one or more of the countless little impacts the loss of every human life has; or at least, ought to have. Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Ee. Ma. Yau. and Raam Reddy’s Thithi instantly come to mind. Like them, Dithee is also set in the invisible India (the one that we’re learning more about these days, albeit through the blurry veil of ‘unofficial’ numbers).
Yet, Dithee is also quite different from these two films. It is a lot more poetic; its take on the paradoxical duality and singularity of life and death more philosophically fanciful than the practical, darkly comic moorings of Thithi and Ee. Ma. Yau. The film doesn’t delve into too many layers, simply because its central thought is as basic and yet as profound as one can hope to get. It just so happens that most of us don’t have the countenance to instantly view life and death as inevitable, particularly so soon after one has just lost someone they love.
This is a film that Sumitra Bhave attempted to make for years, despite all of her stature and renown as a storyteller. When she finally got to make it, her first solo directorial, she commanded a bevvy of creative forces, starting with choosing to adapt a short story by noted Marathi author DB Mokashi. Cinematographer Dhananjay Kulkarni is one of the most significant contributors to the film, crafting some rich, delightful frames. And then, of course, there is that loaded ensemble cast, led by Kishore Kadam as Ramji, with Dilip Prabhavalkar, Dr Mohan Agashe, Girish Kulkarni and Amruta Subhash in outstanding supporting roles as various friends and acquaintances in Ramji’s village.
It’s raining almost throughout in Dithee. The constant patter of rain on the outside and the characters constricted indoors adds to the gloom in the air. The sun shines through only in the end when things finally look up. This is some of the obvious stuff. There are also some truly masterful scenes that unexpectedly hit you in the gut with home truths. The film reminds you that both death and moving on are non-negotiable. And it does so with the gentlest touch of levity you could imagine while its characters are wading through what seems like an ocean of grief. Like the interdependency of order and chaos, or life and death, Sumitra Bhave’s Dithee delights you with a soulful tale of mourning and celebration all at once.
Dithee streams on Sony LIV.
Rating:***1/2
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