211. Koler Gaan; movie review

KOLER GAAN
Cert TBA
105 mins
BBFC advive: TBA

During years of visits to care homes to see my grandmother, I can't recall ever seeing a resident of Asian descent.
It was our presumption that elderly Asian relatives continued to live within families who would nurse them until their dying days.
I don't know whether our views of stronger family ties within the Asian community were accurate or not but they tend to be reinforced by Indian movies which often present generations living together.
However, Koler Gaan gives a clear impression that such arrangements may not always turn out well.
It presents an elderly patriarch (Paran Bandopadhyay) who loves music played through his beloved antique gramophone which has a rich family history.
He is at loggerheads with his resentful daughter-in-law (Chaiti Ghoshal) who puts pressure on her husband (Bhaskar Banerjee) to take action against what she perceives as disturbing noise.
The obvious answer is that the old fella should find different accommodation but moral conundrums abound.
Can they really kick him out just because he plays his music too loud and doesn't always respond how they want him too?
Can't the elderly have some pleasure in their dotage and have an equal say in the family environment?
Ghosal's character is using her sad experience of this clash with her father-in-law to inform her daughter-in-law who has similar bitterness swirling in her home.
She looks back with regret but I fear Koler Gaan is a tad too one-sided. It must be hellishly difficult to live with an intransigent relative nearing the end of life.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed the performances in Pranab Mukherjee's film and it poses a worthwhile social challenge.

Reasons to watch: Gentle family drama with a hard edge
Reasons to avoid: Not big on action

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? Old 'His Master's Voice gramophones can be bought on internet auction sites for around £500.

The final word. Pranab Mukherjee: "A movie that tails back to the suffering and emotions of an old man. Also generation gap that that shows so much difference in opinion..." Twitter.

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