Movie Review of Barefoot To Goa

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The Story Frame

Barefoot To Goa is a story of two siblings Prakhar and Dia who dares to cross the lakshman rekha (Boundaries) of the fast-paced, self-centered and indifferent world of adults to fetch their ailing grandmother from Goa. Their journey is a canvas of life revealing the contrast between the urban and rural, the city-lights and the starry nights of the villages, the way people behave, deal with each other and their outlook towards life and things around them.

A school project on Grandmother becomes the platform to convey a beautiful message to the world who talks and lives on instant connectivity.

Why the siblings have to run away from home, what are the hardships they endure during their journey and what awaits them in Goa is worth watching in the theatre. Barefoot to Goa is the first ever commercially released movie by 238 'Proud Funders' from fifteen countries.

Cast: Farrukh Jaffar (Grandma), Saara Nahar (Dia), Prakhar (Prakhar, as Dia's brother), Ajay Chourey (Typist), Kuldeep Dubey (Father), Purva Parag (Mother), Sharad  (Biker), Sonu Chourasia ( Police Officer), Gaurav Patel (Police Constable),  Pankaj Mali (Farmer), Sangita Mali (Farmer's Wife), Rajender Bhatia (Truck Driver), Arvind (Tempo Driver)

Genre: Family, Adventure, Drama, Children

Language: Hindi

Story: Praveen Morchhale

Director: Praveen Morchhale

Producer: Praveen Morchhale & Satyajeet Chourasia (Associate Producer)

Music: Jack Francis, Rohit Sharma

Singers: Yesudas, Tochi Raina

Sound: Bibek Basumatari

Film Editing by: Ujjwal Chandra

Cinematography: John Breakmas Kerketta

Art Direction: Nikita Shah

Theatre Release: 10^th April, 2015

Duration: 77 minutes

Reviewer's Thumb Mark

Mathru Devo Bhavah, Pithru Devo Bhavah, Aacharya Devo Bhavah and Athiti Devo Bhavah (Mother, Father, Teacher & the Guest are akin to God) are the age old teachings that the holi vedas gave us to follow. The movie Barefoot To Goa is a reminder for us that it is relationships and its values that make our life happy.

Praveen Morchhale is successful in presenting an unpretentious movie to the viewers cutting off the melodrama we are overly fed with these days every friday.

The very first frame of the movie sets the tone of the movie - Dadi (Farrukh Jaffar) lovingly making laddoo for her grandchildren and Yesudas's lullaby and its lyrics moves you to tears.

Dadi locking the door, her walking hurriedly through the coconut grove and amidst the banyan trees, passing by the village well, waiting all alone at the bus stop, stopping intermittently to catch her breath, incessantly coughing all the way to the typist office and her painful silence speaks a lot - her loneliness, helplessness, longing for her children and grandchildren, her hope, undeterred belief, values...

There are a few dialogues that happens between the typist (Ajay Chourey) and Dadi that leaves us to sit back and think - "Budappe aur dalti suraj ko andhakar se aakhirkar ladna padta hi", "Syahi se shabdon mai aatma aajathi hi" and "Amrahi ki chaav sab ki nazeeb mai nahi hota".

The camera that captures the minute details of the happenings are truly commendable - the tattered diary of Dadi having her baby son's black and white photo pasted on it, the school emblem displayed on the school uniform and the same displayed on the Dia's school notebook etc. 

Dia and her brother are so convincing! Dia's courage and confidence inspires. Her brother's carelessness finds me sharing the same page with him. His love and commitment towards his sister tags him to fulfill Dia's mission to bring their Dadi back. Their fights, disagreements, dilemmas, fear of not accomplishing their mission, playful acts are so beautifully depicted that it makes one indulge in reminiscence. There are some heart-piercing questions that Dia asks to her brother -"Tu Dadi ko marne dega kya"? Dia's guilt of freeing the birds from the scooterist basket who helped them in the journey are some moments that urges us to follow the dictates of conscience.

The scenic beauty of the road journey is captivating!

The movie has a very good intention with a strong social message but in the process it takes, may be, an unintentional bias towards portraying the cultural and values divide between the urban and the rural lot. The rural folks are more compassionate, caring, selfless and the city people are portrayed as self-centered, unethical, corrupt. The movie could have been less comparative in this regard and could have depicted the  goodness and vices in both - the urban and the rural.

Another aspect that is quiet debatable is the adventurous road trip pursued by the siblings and their encounter with only good Samaritans all the way up to Goa. It may be either the over-protective approach of the filmmaker towards his characters that make him parade a beeline of good people with large heart or it may be sheer luck for the two small angels barefoot to Goa.

The film had the room for more exploration and experimentation based on the beautiful theme; nonetheless, Praveen Morchhales' film truly deserves accolades for its good intentions.

Barefoot To Goa is a must watch for all those who value relationships and who have enjoyed or missed their parents "Bahon ka jhoola and loriya gaake tappkiya dena". It is undoubtedly a beautiful movie with a beautiful heart.

When you leave the movie hall, you leave with the first and the last sentences of Dadi's letter in your heart- "Priya beta Manoj, Aashirwad!" and " Tumhaari Maa".

Life Connoisseur Movie Rating:  3/5