Gauraiya Review: Helmed by the rising director Gabriel Vats, presents a moving story unfolding at a construction site, where dreams clash with life’s harsh truths.
During Eid, the releases of “Bade Miyan Chote Miyan” and “Maidaan” generate significant hype, but “Gauraiya Live” is also gaining attention. Directed by Gabriel Vats, this Hindi drama features Ada Singh, Omkar Das, Seema Saini, Narendra Khatri, and Pankaj Jha in lead roles. Produced by Rahul Rangare, Doctor Nishant Jain, Rohit Raj Singh Chouhan, and Rajeev Jain under Rare Films and Tea & Poetry Films banners, it also stars Shagufta Ali and Vinay Jha.
Gauraiya Review
At the heart of the story is Rampal, portrayed by Onkar Das Manikpuri with raw emotion, as he navigates the challenges of labor while harboring dreams for his daughters.
Gauraiya (Ada Singh) lives with her parents, Ramlal (Omkar Das Manikpuri) and Phulwati (Seema Saini), and siblings, Sapna (Riddhi Gupta) and Chhotu (Aarav Rangare). After her father leaves following an argument, Gauraiya searches for him and accidentally falls into a 60-foot borewell. Her family realizes she’s missing, sparking a headline-making rescue operation.
In 2006, the nation witnessed the gripping battle for survival of five-year-old Prince, who fell into a 60-foot borewell. Inspired by this incident, director Gabriel Vats crafts ‘Gauraiya Live’, set in Bhopal, focusing on young Gauraiya’s survival amidst her family’s struggles at a construction site. However, the film also highlights the indifference of humans to tragedy, rather than solely focusing on the rescue mission.
Official Trailer of Gauraiya
Based on a true story, the film’s narrative, crafted by Seema Saini and Gabriel Vats, though well-known, may not captivate the audience due to its uni-dimensional nature. The screenplay, ordinary and lacking in emotion, occasionally becomes tedious. While the dialogues by Seema Saini and Gabriel Vats are adequate, they fail to elevate the overall impact.
With a runtime of 111 minutes, the screenplay maintains a steady pace, but the flow is interrupted by frequent flashbacks, which also feel repetitive as they are often intertwined with the songs. The rescue mission, where the army personnel and Rampal’s coworkers join forces to save Gauraiya, concludes in the final 10 minutes or so.
Gabriel Vats’ direction is satisfactory, while the music by Sunjoy Bose and Seema Saini is decent but not exceptional. The background music doesn’t particularly stand out. Mahesh Rajan’s camerawork and Prakash Singh Badal’s art direction are average, and Anoop Singh’s editing is adequate.
Overall, “Gauraiya Live” lacks the appeal to leave a significant impact at the box office, primarily due to its minimal star power. However, the film’s silver lining is its modest budget of only Rs. 55 lakh. Remarkably, it was completed in just eight days.
Portrayal and Narrative
Omkar Das effectively portrays the father balancing love and financial strain. Ada Singh delivers a commendable performance despite limited screen time. The film’s conclusion, featuring statistics on child suffering due to negligence on construction sites, leaves a powerful impact.
The narrative aims to depict the struggles of the socio-economically disadvantaged, highlighting issues like class division and the dowry system. It also shows how powerful figures fail to support the marginalized, offering only superficial assistance. However, the film falls short in its storytelling and execution.
Premiering on April 12, 2024, at PVR Icon Andheri and various cinemas in Bombay through 1st Film Studios, the film had limited screenings with poor publicity and opening reception. Despite a nationwide release, it faced a weak opening across all locations.
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