REVIEW SALAAM VENKY

Producers- Suraj Singh, Shraddha Agrawal and Varsha Kukreja

Director- Revathi

Star Cast- Kajol, Aamir Khan, Vishal Jethwa, Rahul Bose ,Rajeev Khandelwal , Aahana Kumra, Prakash Raj, Priyamani, Riddhi Kumar, Ananth Mahadevan and Maala Parvathy

Genre- Social

Platform of Release- Theatres

Rating- ****

Salaam Revathi!

Based on the fiction novel The Last Hurrah by Shrikant Murthy, this film is a riveting tale, which will definitely throw you off your mark with its style of presentation of a grave issue like Euthanasia. The film sets out to highlight a grim tale of a commendable mother Sujatha (Kajol) who battles the most difficult circumstances, and it is an incredible true story of a mother's strength when faced with challenges that life throws on her way. Salaam Venky is based on the story of a person in real life and director Revathi extracts tears from your eyes even while you sit and watch the film.

Towards the end of his life, at the age of 24, Venkatesh alias Venky (Vishal Jethwa) becomes a hero amongst his peers. Suffering from a degenerative disease - Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, though Venkatesh is meant to lead a sickly worthless life and die at the age of 16,  his perseverance and soaring human spirit beat the odds to surprise medical science. Wishing to donate his organs before he passes away, which he is told is against the law of the land, the ever-smiling Venkatesh challenges the state and law and earns a place in everyone`s hearts, all in just a small span of 15 days. Venky earns his place in the hearts of people and leaves behind a legacy and a conversation that still is relevant and is being discussed.

Kajol’s effervescent screen presence charms the audiences once again in the film, in which Kajol succeeds in navigating the complicated, hardship-ridden relationship between her and her terminally ill son Venky. Vishal Jethwa, who had earlier essayed the role of the rapist- killer in the Rani Mukerjee starrer Mardaangi, steals the scene in the film even though he is shown on bed most of the time, proving what a fantastic performer he is while the rest of the cast whether it is Rajeev Khandelwal who plays the resident doctor or Mala Parvathi who, plays his doting sister is simply superb. Kamal Sadana springs a pleasant surprise on the viewers by appearing in the film as the patient’s father, with negative shades.

One wonders why Revathi has cast Aamir Khan in a special appearance as the friend of Kajol, because he has been simply wasted in the film.  Yet another actor who has simply been wasted without an adequate role is Ananth Mahadevan who appears as a swamiji. Priya Mani slides into character roles with her role as the Defence Lawyer in the court

Revathi who has cast herself in a special appearance as the Judge (Prakash Raj’s) wife proves that she is second to none as far as extracting tears from the audiences as a director by treating the film with a lot of sensitivity without letting the proceedings on drag even for a while

To sum up, do not miss watching Salaam Vanky as it is the triumph of both Kajol who acts well as the grief stricken mother Sujatha and Revathi who has directed the film with aplomb making us exclaim Salaam Revathi