The Sky Is Pink Movie Review: Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar showcase a fabulous tale of love, life and family
It's a film that reiterates life is not about the start or end; it's about those moments created during the sojourn with your loved ones.
The Sky Is Pink
The Sky Is Pink Director: Shonali Bose
The Sky Is Pink Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Suresh Saraf
The Sky Is Pink Stars: 3/5
Shonali Bose who won critical acclaim for highlighting the life of a teenager with cerebral palsy in Margarita with a Straw returns with a formidable star cast and narrates the life of a teenager suffering from pulmonary fibrosis.
The Chaudharys are a perfect family! The story begins with Aisha (Zaira Wasim) announcing that she is the narrator and also the villain of the story. She suffers from pulmonary fibrosis as a consequence of bone-marrow transplant and chemotherapy sessions during her childhood. Aisha is the soul of her family comprising her brother Ishaan (Rohit Saraf) and her parents Aditi (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) and Niren (Farhaan Akhtar). Aisha is nonchalant in describing her illness and the issues that accompany it. The candour with which the family deals with the symptoms as well Aisha's jibes and retorts make the otherwise heavy subject easy to watch.
The screenplay shifts back and forth between Aditi and Niren's love life and the family's struggle to keep a smile on the face as Aisha's condition deteriorates. The title is beautifully weaved in a scene where Ishaan informs Aditi that his teacher reprimanded him for painting a Pink Sky. Aditi explains that one must stick to their perspective towards life regardless of how the world will judge them.
Director Shonali Bose continues to swim against the tide and avoids being a raconteur opting to push the story through a melodramatic prism. As the script battles to become a tearjerker, Shonali infuses some light-hearted moments. Perhaps, in this constant oscillation between emotion and humour, somewhere the story falls short of making the audience live the story. The film is dragged in the first-half and could have benefited from editing a few scenes.
Priyanka, Farhan, Zaira and Rohit's performances convince us that they are really a family. Priyanka is absolutely effortless and even overshadows her co-star in few scenes. The actress' transformation through various age and life-stages is convincing and treat to watch. It is commendable of her to take the risk of playing a mother of two teenage kids - and with what grace!
Farhan Akhtar plays the masterstroke of underplaying a father who would stop at nothing for his children but is not as expressive as the mother. In a way, it highlights how men in society are always taught to put up a brave face in times of turmoil. The chemistry between Farhan and Priyanka is admirable. They both make the act look real. Zaira Wasim adds life to a film which revolves around her character's death. Light moments delivered by her make you emotional without making it uncomfortable for you to sit through a movie where the end is obvious. Rohit Saraf leaves an impact with his performance, especially in the emotional scenes which exhibits the strong bond he shares with his sister.