'Darbaan' review: Sharib Hashmi stars in a heartwarming tale that strikes the right chord

Darbaan is an adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore’s beautiful short story, Return of the Little Master and is a heart touching portrayal of a relationship between a child and his caretaker. The movie is directed by Bipin Nadkarni and stars Sharib Hashmi and Sharad Kelkar in main roles. The cast also includes Rasika Dugal and Flora Saini in pivotal roles. The movie is available to stream on Zee5.

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Darbaan movie plot

Darbaan is a story of a loyal servant, Raicharan, who returns to take care of Ankul’s toddler. Ankul and Raicharan had a strong relationship as Ankul was brought up by Raicharan. Keeping the faith in him, Ankul desires of bringing up his own son with Raicharan around.

However, a tragedy strikes when Raicharan takes the toddler out one day. The toddler goes missing and Raicharan is held responsible for the same. He is sent back to his village but is spared any punishment.

Back in the village he starts raising his own son the way Ankul would have brought up his son. Raicharan feels that his son is an incarnation of the Ankul’s son, hence feels that he should be given everything that Ankul would have given him. Years later, he takes his son to Ankul’s house and gives him away. What follows next is a portrayal of human nature and conflicts with oneself. The plot further tells a tale of hope and repentance. While the question remains unanswered, was Raicharan responsible for the death of Ankul’s son’s death?

Darbaan movie review: What works?

• Dialogues: As the film is based on Rabindranath Tagore’s short story, dialogues become an essential part of the script and screenplay. Darbaan does not disappoint. In fact, the dialogues written by Rakesh Jadhav and Bipin Nadhkarni are poetic and beautifully written and will strike a chord with the viewer. The narration by Annu Kapoor in the film is well-timed and accelerates the story rather than overshadowing the portrayal of the characters.
• Music: Music by Amartya Bobo Rahut, Raajeev V Arjith and background score by Rohhan Patel deserve appreciation for the work they have delivered in this film. In the era where Bollywood fans are taking contemporary music in Hindi films with a pinch of salt as most of the songs are a remake, the background score in Darbaan deserves a special mention.
• Acting performance: Hands down, Sharib Hashmi’s performance has stolen the show. While the actor is a natural, in this film, he has portrayed numerous shades of the character very well. Other cast members, Sharad Kelkar, Rasika Dugal and Flora have also given impactful performances.

Darbaan movie review: What does not work?

• Being a small budget film, the picturization is not the strongest point of this film. The ending of the film may not board well with fans of Rabindranath Tagore as the conclusion of the film is not entirely same as the short story it has been adapted from.

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Darbaan review: Final thoughts

Darbaan is a beautifully made film with stellar performances delivered by the actors. The film has successfully captured the essence of Tagore’s short story and is sure to leave you welled up. The movie must be watched and acknowledged as it depicts the kind of cinema viewers must support and promote to encourage moviemakers to make more quality cinematic pieces.

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Rating: 4/5

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