Dor - A story of love, loss, friendship & hope

Rating:- * * *

Associated with qualitative cinema over the years, the one thing that binds all Kukunoor films is the emphasis on content and the simplicity with which it is told. A remake of a Malayalam movie ‘Perumazhakkalam’, reportedly based on a real-life incident. DOR tells the story of love, loss, friendship, hope and ultimately, redemption. It is a tale of two women from two different worlds.

More than anything else, Kukunoor ought to be complimented for having the courage to make his kind of cinema. A number of scenes in DOR leave you spellbound and the locales of Rajasthan only give DOR a distinct flavor catering mainly to a niche audience and Film festival circuit.

In ways that neither Zeenat nor Meera can perceive, A life-changing piece of news reaches both women at the same instance and sets into motion a series of events that will change their lives forever. Their worlds collide when Zeenat’s husband Aamir is accused of murdering Meera’s husband in Saudi Arabia.Aamir will be executed by law unless the victim’s wife signs a pardon.

Zeenat [Gul Panag] is compelled to make the long journey from the hills of Himachal Pradesh to Rajasthan's deserts, in search of Meera [Ayesha Takia]. Along the way she encounters a Behroopiya [Shreyas Talpade], whose uncanny instincts and good humor help to make the difficult journey easier.

As different as they are, Zeenat and Meera form an uncommon bond of friendship and respect when they meet. But can it endure the uneasy truth that Zeenat hides? One of these women will hold the power of life and death in her hands. One will be helpless at the hands of fate.

DOR is an intense/serious subject that has been handled with utmost sincerity and remarkably executed sequences between the two women. Kukunoor also pads the proceedings with light moments in the form of Shreyas, whose mimicry of various actors is quite enjoyable.

The culmination to the story is also justified without giving a clichéd feel, takes its own sweet time to come to the point, the end is just right. But DOR tends to get dry and heavy at regular intervals and even the slow pacing tests the patience of the viewer.

The music [Salim-Sulaiman] is traditional, although it's in sync with the genre of the film, has its limitations. The camerawork does justice to the scenic beauty of Rajasthan. The ambience [art: Muneesh Sappal] deserves special mention.

DOR is embellished with noteworthy performances. Gul Panag dominates the first hour and Ayesha Takia the second. Shreyas springs a pleasant surprise.

On the whole, DOR is a well-made film that caters to those with an appetite for qualitative cinema. Awards & critical acclaim yes, box-office rewards no.