Do not go by the trailer of the film BA Pass. First and foremost this is not erotica. This is not a cheap film like Nasha in which C grade excuses have been found to show lust between a youngster and an older woman. However, God knows why the film is being promoted like that. This film is first and foremost a story of a boy's helplessness and dilemma.
For his sisters, for himself, for a good time, he unknowingly becomes a male prostitute. This is initiated by an aunty, his aunt's friend. Amidst all this, there are other worldly affairs which are pathetic, humane and repeatedly tell what creeps behind the walls of Delhi in the day, at night, in the morning, in the evening, and generally does not even come to sight.
The film is based on Mohan Sikka's story 'The Railway Aunty'. Now take the cues from the story. Mukesh has become an orphan. He has the responsibility of two sisters who are in a shady government ashram for girls. Mukesh is doing BA pass course while staying with his evil aunt and her bastard son.
Then the eyes of aunt's boss's wife and kitty friend Sarika Aunty fall on him. Aunty's eyes fall on him and then many aunties'. But then something happens that turns all the tables. The friends who were made in this fight also have some stories. All of these together form a tragic collage in the end.
If we go by the film news, director Ajay Bahl wanted a girl with Delhi's eloquence for the role of Railway Aunty. That too not a girly type, but an actress who would look like a woman instead of a shy girl, something strong. Two options were finalised. Richa Chadha and Shilpa Shukla.
There was a doubt with Shilpa that her Chak De India image was still carrying. Then Richa got Anurag Kashyap's Gangs of Wasseypur and Ajay also encouraged her for it. And this way Shilpa got the strong and challenging role of Sarika Aunty.
As a critic, a viewer and a human being, I have become a fan of Shilpa Shukla. In Chak De India, she brought alive the protagonist Bindiya. She was the only player standing strong against Shahrukh. Speaking Tughlaq, opening the chain or singing the tune of rebellion. She also gave the most intense colors to BA Pass.
This is not the role of a one-sided shallow and mean woman. It also had some shades of thirst, some of wisdom and some of irritation. Shilpa gave it new meaning with her voice, the ups and downs of her eyes and pauses and body language. She has again raised the bar of acting for herself. Congratulations for accepting and playing this erotic but deep role.
Mukesh's face often had to show an innocent expression, sometimes some enthusiasm and sometimes some nobility in the film. Shadab showed all this without looking funny. I don't know much about his acting career. But he did not look like a novice in front of Shilpa, Rajesh and other seasoned theatre and film actors.
His portrayal of the dilemma and then the stolen pleasure in the intimate scenes with Sarika aunty will surely come in the category of success. And then those helplessness-filled scenes in the second half. Good job my boy.
What a casting, sir. It did not seem that we were watching actors. Divyendu, whom you have seen as a pimp in Dev D, played the role of Johnny of the cemetery. Darling actor Rajesh Sharma did not have much footage as Sarika's husband. But whatever he had, he got a good treatment.
Similarly, whether it is Geeta Agarwal in the role of Mukesh's aunt who makes parathas and cries about middle class poverty or Happy Ranjit who lives a double life in the role of a PhD, everyone has given a corner and some extra meaning to the film in their own way.
Many more parts grew on the skeleton of a story. BA Pass is not just the story of Mukesh getting caught in Sarika's trap. It is about Delhi hidden behind the curtain of day and night. There are boys standing on the roadside with makeup till the morning. There are some disgusting looking people in their rooms with dreams hanging on the coloured postcards.
There is a fight between Kasparov and Karpov. There is a trick to get into the good books of the boss with the help of a kitty party. There is a woman who is spending her time in loneliness, played by Deepti Naval. A small role, but will be remembered forever. There are some sisters who are desperate to escape from the clutches of the warden. There is a brother who is running his last race amidst the ringing and sirens of the phone.
Director Bahl has shown a bold plot without being vulgar. The director of the film has worn this hat for the first time. But it doesn't look like that. As I said first, the film is bold. There are many close-up scenes. But there is no need to peep into the armpits anywhere. Nothing looks vulgar.
The camera comes close to show the complexion of the face. It moves away just enough to let us know what is happening. But these scenes don't stick to the face. Railway Aunty is a story, but Ajay has given it a good cinematic expansion. He has also found some new locations of Delhi. All in all, the film has received so many awards that it really justifies them on the public screen as well.
If it is a Hindi film, there will be music. There is music here too, but as a background score. Just like it happens in life. Alokananda Dasgupta did not let it become cumbersome. He does not dilute the story and its impact. And this is a very important achievement in terms of Hindi films.
Similarly, if we talk about the editing of the film, then in the first half, you may feel for a moment that okay brother, I understand that Mukesh is entangled in this. Now how long will you drag it. But in the second half, the film gains momentum and only at the end, it remembers the surroundings.
The camera work and location reminds of Anurag Kashyap's cinema. The camera swinging in wandering and the locations of Old Delhi, real-New Sarai Rohilla like, far from New Delhi, which looks like a worn-out AIIMS flyover. These are some other strong points of the film.
A great filmmaker is not one who conveys his message through a few characters in a given time. A great filmmaker is one who makes those characters stay in your mind at that time. The film may end on the screen. But when you return, the characters should also return with you.
Some questions should also return, for which you keep creating answers that well what happened to this. That could have happened too. If I were there, I would have done this. A prayer should keep going on for some characters that I wish something right had happened to them.
This is not incompleteness, it is the success of the new trend of storytelling. When the film ends, something ends, but something also begins. Not everything is visible on the screen. That is why it remains in the mind. I am repeating the advice again for the sake of God, the public, that BA Pass is not a cheap C grade film, it is a very tragic, emotional and complex story and this film must be watched.
