Lootera is a 2013 Indian period romance set in the backdrop of 1950s India during the abolishment of the Zamindari system. Like Vikramaditya Motwane’s Udaan, Lootera too has the power of conveying emotions through the solitude and melancholy of the characters.
Love, Betrayal, and Redemption
At the beginning of the film, we are introduced to Paakhi’s illness and her relationship with her father. Her father, an aristocrat is loving and protective of her. He narrates a story to her of a king whose life resides in his parrot. He addresses Paakhi as his parrot. The first half of the film signifies the theme of desire as Paakhi is coming to terms with her feelings for Varun. Varun, a professional con man disguises himself as an archeologist to search for the hidden treasure said to be buried around the aristocrat’s owned land. She senses the same kind of respect and trust from Varun after her father. They bond through painting incomplete canvases, strolling through wide mango orchards, and stealing glances at each other when no one is watching.
The second half skips a few years later. The betrayal from Varun leaves Paakhi emotionally, financially, and physically scared as she suffers from pain and misery on her death bed. Her trust is gone and it would take ages to mend her broken spirit. As Varun accidentally crosses paths with her, despicable for his disloyalty he offers to help her to redeem himself. Initially, Paakhi shows resistance like an injured being who has evolved from her innocence and is scared to trust anyone again. Varun’s consistent care for Paakhi revives her lost love and trust. But, the unfortunate circumstances and wrong timing act as a barrier to their final reunion.
Class Divide and Influence of the Zamindari System
As Paakhi is a daughter of a rich zamindar. Her sheltered and privileged innocence is contrasted with the shrewdness of Varun (a conman turned archaeologist who wins the trust of Paakhi and her father) who has to bow down to his loyalty toward his uncle. His duty doesn’t allow him to fall in love and choose his happiness. Varun’s shrewdness is a tool to survive in the wretched world. Motwane highlights the class divide equally to mock the privilege of the zamindars in 1950s India in a subtle way as well as a medium of portraying a classic forbidden love genre.
In Saheb , Bibi Aur Ghulam(1962) Guru Dutt’s Atulya works and lives under the Choudhary zamindars in Calcutta. The haveli’s aristocrats often do atrocities on their debt-ridden working-class servants. When zamindari is abolished, the Chote babu starts selling the haveli’s artifacts to the British raj. Thus, the drivers start protesting for their long-awaited salaries. Atulya leaves Calcutta to become a trainee architect and when he turns the haveli has turned to ruins and the Chaudharies have gone bankrupt due to several bad financial decisions. Here, Guru Dutt mocks the privileged aristocrats and the zamindari system in British India. Dutt has always been a critique of Captilastic greed in his films like ‘Saheb, bibi aur ghulam’, Pyaasa and Kaagaz ke Phool.
Motwane’s Lootera is set in the 50s West Bengal, Manekpur around the abolishment of the feudal system. When the act is passed the aristocrat (Paakhi’s father) is advised by his Munim to sell all his artifacts. He plans to settle everything before destruction as he trusts Varun for his daughter’s hand for marriage and also to dig out the old treasure around his land. So, the family can run away with money in a dignified way. Varun who is entangled between his desires and responsibilities eventually escapes overnight with all the money fetched from the treasure as he chooses to go with his Uncle’s command. With such a deceit Paakhi’s father passes away only to leave Paakhi in a miserable state.
Thus, despite Varun’s deceit and Paakhi’s privilege Motwane tries to build empathy for both the characters.
‘The Last Leaf’ by O’Henry Contrast
In O Henry’s ‘The last leaf’, Johnsy counts her hope to live till the last leaf falls from an old ivy creeper peeking outside her house’s window. The old artist Behrman who never got any commercial success as a painter paints the last leaf with the finest intricacies and hangs it on the tree. As it stays as the last leaf Johnsy too survives the illness whereas Behrman dies of Pneumonia.
In Motwane’s Lootera Varun shares his interest in painting a masterpiece one day. When Paakhi is dying from a chronic illness in Dalhousie, she too hopes to live till the last remaining leaf of the tree peeking outside her window. Varun creates his one last complete painting in the form of a leaf. He attaches it to the tree while being shot by the police as he was wanted for months while Paakhi recovers slowly. Thus, a masterpiece by Varun is created in the form of an everlasting leaf as a token of love and a new life for Paakhi.
Cinematography of Lootera Movie
The first half is set in the Manekpur district of West Bengal. The minimalistic vintage compositions beautify each canvas of the film. The exuberance of wide breezy orchards and warm natural light brightening up the haveli uplifts a poetic mood. Mahendra J. Shetty portrays the blossoming love through the brighter hues of summer in the first half. Thus, the brightness exemplifies the happiness, innocence, and simplicity of the 50s Bengal.
Shetty portrays the theme of misery and pain through the darker dull tones of winter. The second half is set in Dalhousie where Paakhi is bedridden in a gloomy cottage and Varun is running from the police through the lanes of the city market. In Motwane’s Udaan, he develops the city of Jamshedpur as another character that complements the storyline. He is a master at creating authentic pathos of a city and romanticizing it. In Lootera too he succeeds in creating the cinematic experience of a specific place and time.
Varun: Character study in Lootera
Ranveer Singh’s Varun is understated in contrast to his real-life personality and other generic characters that he has portrayed. This extreme contrast between real-life persona and reel character reminds me of Adam Sandler’s depressed Barry in Punch Drunk Love (2002) and Jim Carrey’s Joel in Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind (2004). Both of them gave a career-defining performance in contrast to their generic extroverted characters in commercial films. He brings an ironic honesty to Varun that reflects in his eyes despite his professional duties of being a con. It seems he was dragged in with no choice. But even being a professional conman which requires him apathetic to any kind of genuine bond, he reveals his vulnerable side to Paakhi. But unfortunately, he meets the right person at the wrong time.
Overall Lootera is a definite watch. You can check out other good Indian movie reviews on our website as well.
