Movie Review: Goopi Gawaiya Bagha Bajaiya (Hindi)

Producer- The Children’s Film Society of India

Director- Shilpa Ranade   

Star Cast- Manish Bhawan, Shahanawaz Pradhan, Shailendra Pandey and Rajeev Raj

Genre- Animation

Rating- ***

Riveting and Vibrant Animation!

Jyothi Venkatesh

Goopi Gawaiya Bagha Bajaiya is an Indian animated film based on the characters Goopy and Bagha created by Satyajit Ray's grandfather Upendra Kishore Ray Chowdhury. The film is inspired from Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne, the first film from the Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne trilogy. Goopy and Bagha, who wish to become musicians, are exiled to the forest due to their harsh voices. One day, they meet ghosts who grant them magical powers that help them change their fortunes and face all the challenges in their lives with effortless ease.

The film set in a small hamlet – Shundi sets out to tell the tale of an aspiring singer Goopi and a drum enthusiast Bagha and their chance encounter with a string of local ghosts. The musicians earn four boons that would not only change their individual fates, but also drastically transform the lives of the people of two distinctive kingdoms that are at loggerheads and just days away from waging a war.

It’s not very often that we see Indian animated films make it to the big screen, more so those that aren’t adapted from mythology and folklore. That is one of the major reasons that you should not miss this gem of an animation film which is nothing short of a labor of love on the part of Shilpa Ranade though it has taken almost six years for her to get a release for this film of hers.  It is in the fitness of things because 2019 also marks the 50th anniversary of the release of Satyajit Ray’s beloved screen adaptation.

Written by Soumitra Ranade and Rohit Gahlowt, Shilpa Ranade’s adaptation is based on the original story rather than Ray’s movie. The USP of the film is that it is packed with tons of musical numbers composed by the pop group Three Brothers & A Violin, with the band member Narayan Parasuram is also being the co-founder and creative director of Karadi Tales. The film also promises some truly unique and vibrant animations with its own original visual style from director Ranade.

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