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Starring: Nargis Bagheri,
Upendra Limaye, Raman Trikha, Sudha Chandran, Vinay Apte,
Suzanne Bernert, Hemant Pandey, Sujata Sehgal, Rohini
Kapoor, Vinod Khemani
Directed by Hridesh Kamble
Pranali - The Tradition is an issue based film. A little
over an hour in duration, the debutante director Hirdesh
Kamble's film talks about the Devdasi system which is
still prevalent in certain parts of India. Definitely, a
debatable topic here, which suggests the idea of giving
legal sanction to such women who are practicing this
age-old tradition in the name of God.
The producer Nikhil Mathur claims that the centuries old
Indian tradition of Devdasis exists even today in
certain parts of India. After visiting several places in
India where this tradition exists even today, he decided
to make a film on this issue.
Pranali's (Nargis Bagheri) journey began as a devdasi
and eventually at some point in the course of this
system, she lands up into prostitution. She is now in
Akka's (Sudaha Chandran) brothel in Mumbai red light
area. Having been forced into flesh trade, Pranali's
life gets a fresh lease of meaning and purpose in her
life, when she gives birth to a baby girl. She vows
never to let her enter the flesh trade and then seeks
education for her child. However her child is barred
from getting education from the place where all the
socially authoritative people send their kids for
schooling.
There is an NRI who helps Pranali to get her child
educated. He decides to write a book on Pranali's life.
This NRI then helps Pranali's co-sex workers to get out
of the wretched tradition and also tries to get a legal
sanction for the so-called profession of sex-workers.
Credits & Crew
Presenter - Harward Entertainment
Produced by Nikhil Mathur
Directed by Hridesh Kamble
Story & screenplay - Hridesh Kamble, Manoj Pandey
Dialogues - Manoj Pandey
Original Music by Kailash Kher, Naresh - Paresh
Cinematography by Najeeb Khan
Film Editing by Chaitanya Bose
Action Director - Abbas Ali Moghul
Lyrics - Anil Pandey
Art Director - Jasmita Pathare
Costume Designer - Nikunj Vyas
Choreographer - Saroj Khan
Playback Singers - Shreya Ghosal, Sunidhi Chauhan, Richa
Sharma, Pandit Birju Maharaj, Mahalaxmi Iyer, Kailash
Kher, Madhushri, Udit Narayan
Music Company: Harward Music
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The film begins when a foreigner known as Judy comes
across a prostitute named Pranali whose husband is writing
a book on her life. Then the movie goes into flashback:
In a famine hit poor village somewhere near the borders of
Karnataka and Maharashtra, the parents of a little girl (Pranali)
are convinced by a priest to allow their daughter enter
into the system of Devdasis.
The centuries old arrangement of this system is that in
the name of God, young girls are forced to carry out
prostitution. Once when just a child, the village mahant (Abhay
Bhargava) casts his evil eye on Pranali. She is handed
over to the priest to carry out the system of Devdasis.
Then this village mahant exploits her mercilessly along
with the powers that be.
One of the best thing about the film is its music which
composed by Kailash Kher along with Paresh and Naresh.
The music sounds fresh, and the Tandav dance which has
been choreographed by Pandit Birju Maharaj is
impressive.
Nargis does a fairly good job with her role. Among the
supporting cast, Sudha Chandran is quite imposing as the
brothel madame. Others in the supporting cast like Vinay
Apte, Abhay Bhargava and Raman Trikha turn in able
performances.
Debutante director Hirdesh Kamble's film Pranali comes
across as his honest attempt to explore the issue of
Devdasis without any desire to titillate his audience.
Thanks to the director for tackling this social issue
with an approach of honesty.
- Shaami M. Irfan
CAST AND CREDITS
Cast
Cast
Pranali - Nargis Bagheri
Taxi Driver - Upendra Limaye
Vijay - Raman Trikha
Akka - Sudha Chandran
Politician - Vinay Apte
Judy - Suzanne Bernert
Hemant Pandey
Sujata Sehgal
Rohini Kapoor
Vinod Khemani
Kalpana Sathe
Deepshika
Abhay Bhargav
Vaidehi Singh
Vaishnavi Rao |
