This 'Lion' extracts the human in you

Rating: 9/10 (3 April 2017)

Lion is a gripping tale of humanity often found missing in the whirlwind of androids and machines, Hollywood is so much fascinated with, these days. It is a poignant saga of an Indian boy lost at a tender age of 5.The film narrates the odyssey of that kid Saroo, through a grey world full of greed, lust, decaying values and finally redeeming himself in a world of light and hope.
Ever since the film released or it created so much buzz at the Oscars, (It did not get any though, even after getting 6 nominations!) I was craving for watching it. As the film was not shown in any of the screens near the place where I live, I had to wait for the DVDs to release. And whoa! It was worth waiting for such a gem of a movie. Broadly the movie is divided in two parts. Whilst the first part portrays kid Saroo's never ending struggle in the Indian allays, stations, slums and finally ending up being adopted by an Australian couple, the second half narrates the turmoil of the grown up Saroo to relive his lost childhood. The contrasts portrayed in the two halves mellifluously showcase the differences between the two worlds in the same planet - India and Australia, poverty and luxury, dirty lanes and posh suburbs, pain and love, hunger and abundance, loathe and affection. The gruesome experiences of little Saroo in the streets of India leave you petrified in horror. The reality of the pathos and agonies in an Indian's life has been shot with so much honesty that you are left awestruck at the genius of the director. The scene where the kid with a spoon mimics a young guy in the posh restaurant is there to stay in your heart forever. On the contrary, the scenes in Australia have been shot with extensive hues and colors to symbolize the aplomb in grown up Saroo's life. This was the first feature film directed by Garth Davis and what a splendid job he has done in his first outing! He is sensible and sensitive and the subject he picked for his debut movie is indeed a matter of Indian and International concern. The movie is based on the autobiographical book of Saroo Brierley- 'A Long Way Home', a literary gem in its own merit. But the panache with which Davis adopts this into a movie is simply fabulous. With him being the latest entrant, list of my favorite Hollywood directors is ever increasing.
Dev Patel as adult Saroo is brilliant to say the least. His expressions as someone who cannot get over his past even amidst abundance and a secured life are fabulous. The climax scene where he celebrates with his real mother even without understanding her language epitomizes his brilliance in essaying human emotions with élan. With a successful track record already, this young actor has a very bright future ahead. Nicole Kidmanhas done a fantastic job as the kind hearted Sue. She had a quiet spell in the last decade or so. But a riveting performance in 'Lion' catapults her once again in the forefront. Both Nicole and Patel deservedly earned Oscar nominations in supporting casts, albeit without winning. But the show stealer in this magnum opus is definitely Sunny Powar. It would not be an overstatement to say that this little kid has delivered one of the finest performances ever by any actor of his age group in a long, long time. The ease with which he essays the pangs of little Saroo, the poignancy of a child dwelling in an Indian orphanage is mesmerizing. You are bound to love the innocence this kid has in his eyes. If nurtured rightly, he has the potentials of becoming a super talent soon. All other actors do justice to their roles while you long for a little longer screen time of our very own Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
The plight of the children in the orphanages in India is a subject hardly any activists have taken up. It is said every year 80,000 children are lost from India alone. No garbed 'Rakshak' bothers to care for them. Kudos to this foreign director for handling this sensitive subject with utmost sincerity and empathy. When Kidman says' We did not take any child because we thought the world is full of orphans who need care', you feel the honesty of the intention of the director. When the movie ends with actual footage of Saroo, I bet you can hardly keep your eyes dry. This is a wonderful cinematic experience you should not miss as the effects of the theme will stir your heart for long. In every street child in India, there lives a Saroo. This movie just opens up our eyes to see them, perceive their grief and care about them.
P.S:Throughout the movie, I was wondering why this is titled 'Lion'. The reason is shown in the end title.