During
my
schooling
days
in
Himachal
Pradesh,
a
fellow
student
wouldn't
long
for
the
annual
vacations
in
December,
like
all
kids
generally
do.
I
often
wondered
why.
Much
later,
I
was
told
that
his
stern
(and
over-dominating)
father
called
the
shots
with
a
cane
in
hand
and
my
friend
would
literally
shiver
at
the
very
thought
of
spending
the
next
three
months
with
his
family.
We
lost
touch
after
we
completed
schooling
and
with
the
passage
of
time,
I
forgot
all
about
him.
Till
I
watched
Udaan
and
his
face
loomed
large
at
the
very
start
of
the
film.
Udaan
does
that
to
you!
Poignant,
unsettling
and
disturbing,
Udaan
is
a
brilliant
take
of
an
adolescent
who
has
stepped
into
his
teens
and
how
he
faces
a
tyrant
father,
a
step
brother
he
never
knew
existed
and
how
he
eventually
breaks
the
shackles
and
frees
himself
from
a
world
that's
slowly
suffocating
him.
Udaan
mirrors
the
real
life
and
although
the
plotline
is
simple
and
uncomplicated,
I
must
add
that
simple
stories
are
extremely
difficult
to
narrate.
However,
debutant
director
Vikramaditya
Motwane
remains
faithful
to
the
written
material
and
handles
the
characters
in
the
film
with
tremendous
care,
understanding
and
maturity.
I
genuinely
feel
that
Udaan
borrows
something
from
everyone's
life.
And
that's
what
makes
it
an
absorbing
watch,
especially
its
defining
finale.
Final
word?
This
one's
a
must-see
for
every
parent,
every
child.
This
coming-of-age
story
is
unique
and
speaks
a
universal
language
and
hence,
shouldn't
be
missed!
After
being
abandoned
for
eight
straight
years
in
boarding
school,
Rohan
(Rajat
Barmecha)
returns
to
the
small
industrial
town
of
Jamshedpur
and
finds
himself
closeted
with
an
authoritarian
father
(Ronit
Roy)
and
a
younger
half
brother
who
he
didn't
even
know
existed.
Forced
to
work
in
his
father's
steel
factory
and
study
engineering
against
his
wishes,
he
tries
to
forge
his
own
life
out
of
his
given
circumstances
and
pursue
his
dream
of
being
a
writer.
The
best
thing
about
(most)
first-time
directors
is
their
ability
to
narrate
a
new
story
without
bowing
down
to
market
diktats.
Udaan
is
realistic
to
the
core,
so
much
so
that
the
viewer
becomes
a
participant
after
a
while
and
feels
that
he's
getting
a
first-hand
account
of
what
the
troubled
teen
is
enduring.
A
number
of
sequences
leave
a
stunning
impact.
But
I'd
like
to
single
out
a
few
that
continue
to
stay
with
me,
even
while
I
write
this
review.
Note
the
sequence
between
Rajat
Barmecha
and
his
step
brother,
when
they
meet
for
the
first
time.
Also,
the
one
when
Ronit
Roy
and
Rajat
Barmecha
have
a
confrontation
at
the
dinner
table,
when
the
talk
veers
to
Rajat's
plans
for
the
future.
Another
sequence
that
caught
my
attention
was
the
heated
argument
between
the
brothers
(Ronit,
Ram
Kapoor).
And,
of
course,
the
finale,
the
culmination
to
the
film,
which
will
have
its
share
of
advocates
and
adversaries.
Actually,
all
through
the
second
hour,
I
was
very
keen
to
know
how
Motwane
and
co-writer
Anurag
Kashyap
would
conclude
the
story.
But
Rajat
Barmecha's
breaking-free
sequence,
a
redemption
of
sorts,
is
simply
brilliant.
On
the
flipside,
the
pacing
is
very
slow
towards
the
second
hour.
Besides,
the
length
could've
been
sharpened
by
at
least
10/15
odd
minutes.
If
director
Vikramaditya
Motwane
deserves
distinction
marks
for
narrating
a
slice
of
life
film
with
aplomb,
he
along
with
co-writer
Anurag
Kashyap
deserves
the
highest
praise
for
handling
the
delicate
and
sensitive
relationships
lucidly.
Every
character
in
this
film
-
there
are
four
principal
characters
-
is
well
etched
and
so
identifiable.
Casting
the
right
names
must've
been
a
tough
call
for
its
makers,
especially
casting
the
two
kids
in
pivotal
parts.
The
seniors
(Ronit
Roy
and
Ram
Kapoor)
are
accomplished
actors
with
years
of
experience
to
their
credit.
Yet,
Udaan
explores
a
new
facet
of
both
Ronit
and
Ram.
Ronit
is
super
as
the
bully,
semi-neurotic
father
with
demons
of
his
own
to
battle,
while
Ram
underplays
his
part
with
rare
understanding.
The
two
kids,
Rajat
Barmecha
and
Aayan
Boradia,
are
the
real
stars
of
this
enterprise.
Rajat
seems
to
have
got
a
tailor-made
role
and
he
sinks
his
teeth
into
it.
Aayan,
the
child
actor,
displays
the
vulnerability
beautifully.
His
tender
expressions
and
soulful
eyes
convey
so
much!
On
the
whole,
Udaan
is
a
simple,
straight-forward
film
that
doesn't
need
to
be
explained.
It
needs
to
be
experienced.
Director:
Vikramaditya
Motwane
Cast:
Ronit
Roy,
Ram
Kapoor,
Manjot
Singh,
Anand
Tiwari