An emotionally charged Hindi film, produced in New Zealand will begin screening at the Hoyts Cinema at Sylvia Park in Auckland on October 14, with a Red Carpet premier.
Waiting For You is the story of a man and wife, who go through the vicissitudes of life with undeterred love for each other. And when that love is punctuated by understanding, self-respect, trust and confidence, it becomes larger-than life, taking an emotive appeal.
Westerners may not understand why married Indian couples (no less sex and children after marriage) fuss over each other and why it is a perfect relationship when the woman stays at home being its maker, while the man goes out to ensure the meal ticket for the family.
But what they know is that most Indians marry (either the ones they love or the ones arranged by their parents) to remain man and wife for life.
They also know that it is alright for a grownup man to cry.
That is what true love and true family life do.
Waiting For You is a consummate film, not the run-of-the-mill balderdash but a meaningful celluloid piece that bespeaks the story of a man and his woman with empathy. He is seen and shown as useful member of the community, earning an honest livelihood but quite useless at home, without the capability to cook the simplest of meals.
Bomi Dotiwala as Dev brings forth the unimpeachable love towards his wife Rose (played by Usha Jerajani). They are so obsessed with each other that they dared not share their love with anyone else; which perhaps explains their childless state.
There is a certain helplessness in the man, who sheds inward tears as he tends to his ailing wife at the hospital.
In the end, as she meets her Maker, there is only one expression left: ‘Waiting For You.’
It is hard to say if it was Dev waiting for the return of his beloved or it was Rose, who awaits her husband to join her in the next phase of their journey together.
What makes Waiting For You a highly seeable film is its strong storyline, scripted jointly by New Zealander Michael Heath and India’s Varsha Upadhyay (whose husband directed the film). It radiates a certain ethos that embeds a culture that is unique to India. In marriage, as in love, there is equity and equal partnership.
The movie is a Kiwi initiative, with Jagdishwar Prasad Dube (Jack Dube of The Car Clearance Centre and his wife Prem Lata) as producers. The pristine beauty of New Zealand has been well captured, although Dev and Rose engage you frame after frame.
Hera Dunleavy, Baby Miro McColl, Dr Singh, Roopa Suchdev, Chad Mills, Aniela Jorgenson, Simran Chadha, Ansh Chadha, Ratna Venkat, Jolly Tiwari, Zarwan Divecha and Priyanka Chandani are among the other members of the cast.
Shyam Upadhyay has proved his prowess as a director, bringing out the subtlety that accompanies the love shared by a married couple in India. There is nothing overt, superficial or pretentious here; the director has allowed the main characters to play their part with candour, although the scene in which Dev chastises the doctor (as the latter suggests that Rose should remain in the hospital for a while) was over the board.
Photo :
1. Bomi Dotiwala and Usha Jerajani in Waiting For You
2. Producer Jack Dube
3. Director Shyam Upadhyay
