Review of movie Karwaan

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Rating: 3.5/5

The news of his father’s sudden death takes Avinash and his friend Shaukat (Irrfan) from Bengaluru to Kochi, a journey that gives them time to introspect on their lives.

Sometimes getting lost is the best way to find yourself. This lies at the heart of Karwaan. Not all journeys wind up the way you’d imagined, and yet, they put things into perspective, be it life or relationships. The film feels a lot like that. It starts off as an incoherent, bumpy ride that takes multiple unwanted detours, before finding its true calling. Much like it’s protagonist Avinash (Dulquer Salmaan aka DQ), the story wanders aimlessly in quest of its mojo amidst a tragedy. Eventually, unravelling a journey of self discovery.

Shot across the most beautiful places in South India, Karwaan takes its time to connect the dots and disclose the dilemmas that haunt its three distinct characters — Avinash (Dilquer), Shaukat (Irrfan) and Tanya (Mithila). You don’t instantly warm up to them, nor they to each other, as the intimate human interaction and confrontation you expect in the story comes much later.

While most road films stand out for its heart to heart conversations, Karwan tries a bit too hard to establish itself as a dark comedy and therein lies the problem. It seems burdened by its desire to be unconventional, detached and funny. It even succeeds in dodging cliches but the situations seem a tad implausible.

What then makes this strange journey worth taking are the brilliant performances by Dulquer and Irrfan. You totally get the hype around DQ, the Malayalam heartthrob who makes his debut in Hindi cinema here. The actor’s effortless screen presence and earnest, understated act is a welcome change and he seamlessly nails the language (Hindi). Let’s hope Bollywood taps into his talent.

Despite getting a half-baked character, Irrfan, one of the finest actors in cinema, breathes life into the film. He gives its meandering narrative a direction, with his impeccable performance and his trademark piercing gaze. A heartbreaking scene in the latter half where he opens up on his father, proves for the umpteenth time what a great actor he is. His hilarious pearls of wisdom and unsolicited advice at the most inopportune time are, some of the best moments of the film. Mithila Palkar is pleasant, but fails to leave her mark. Kriti Kharbanda is likeable in her special appearance.