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Hope – one of the strongest threads that keeps life going despite obstacles. Shoojit Sircar’s latest film, I Want To Talk, creates a safe space for Abhishek Bachchan to give voice to Arjun Sen, a man who undergoes over 20 surgeries after being diagnosed with Laryngeal cancer at the peak of his career. Is this the new-age Anand, starring the actor’s father, Amitabh Bachchan? Let’s find out!
I Want To Talk Movie Review: Plot & Screenplay
Arjun Sen (Abhishek Bachchan), a fish fry-loving Bengali residing in the USA, is not an absentee father to his daughter Reya (Pearle Dey/Ahilya Bamroo). He is a marketing genius who hates the term manipulative but can convince people with his twisted logic. At the peak of his career, he is diagnosed with an advanced stage of Laryngeal cancer. He is given only 100 days to live, but his meeting with Dr Deb (Jayant Kriplani) adds a new chapter to his life.
I Want To Talk is a story of hope; not melancholy. Whether Arjun lives to dance at Reya’s wedding holds the tale together. Shoojit, known for creating strong characters with the mould of belief, optimism and love, doesn’t restrict the film within the boundaries of Arjun’s illnesses. It is a tale of the evolving relationship between a father and daughter, estranged husband-wife, the conflicts of a patient and his doctor and most importantly, a purpose to live life.
Through Arjun’s constant bickers with his daughter, doctors and even God, Shoojit takes his own time to establish I Want To Talk. The title also comes from the only desire Arjun has – to talk because that’s what he is excellent at. The screenplay is slow, and that’s where the apt duration comes into play.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhoeW_xEjWQ
I Want To Talk Movie Review: What’s Good, What’s Bad
Shoojit taps into a space Abhishek has never explored. The atmosphere of trepidation is perfectly cut by Johnny Lever’s comic timing. Before transitioning into a feel-good film, I Want To Talk puts through a phase of discomfort and angst.
I Want To Talk picks pace in the second half with a more layered story, lighter moments and motivation to pay tribute to the real Arjun Sen, who fought life like a Bengal Tiger and emerged victorious. Shoojit doesn’t make it a melodramatic affair. Here’s humour injected through the dialogues.
The slower first half takes time to click. The occasional silences work. Had it not been for the amazing performances, I Want To Talk would have collapsed.
I Want To Talk Movie Review: Performances
Abhishek Bachchan has come out of the commercial shell and how! It took Shoojit Sircar to bring out the actor from the performer and he delivers it beyond expectations. Soaking Arjun’s eccentricity, Abhishek immerses himself in the character. The finer nuances, like wheezing, walking with a slight limp, expressing pain through his eyes etc, add brilliant layers to the film. It is his best act to date.
Ahilya Bamroo impresses as adult Reya. Apart from being a strong pillar of the film, she is also the sunshine who paints the canvas with shades of joy and optimism. Johnny Lever’s comic timing makes I Want To Talk a lighter film. His trademark humour might be used rarely but the impact is long-lasting. Jayant Kriplani is wonderful. His banters with Abhishek complete the frame.
I Want To Talk Movie Review: Verdict
I Want To Talk might not appeal to massy cinema lovers. It is a slow, immersive watch that needs time and attention. A deep, yet not melancholic, representation of motivation,I Want To Talk will have a lasting impact due to the performances. It isn’t Shoojit’s best, but the actors come to the rescue.