There is no dearth of stories in our country, what is lacking is to tell them in a new style on the big screen. ‘The One: Force of the Forest’ brings one such folktale from the soil of Bihar, where the forest goddess, the mysterious forest, the faith of Chhathi Maiya and man’s own thinking come face to face. As much as the beginning of the film arouses interest, it also leaves the same question as to what is there inside the forest? The good thing is that the film keeps this question alive for a long time, only later when the answers start coming, some mysteries are no longer so mysterious. How is the story of the film? The story is of Rishi (Siddharth Malhotra), who comes to his ancestral village in Bihar with his wife Mamta (Tamanna Bhatia). For Rishi, who grew up in the city, the village and its beliefs are a part of the old thinking. Both have their own family pain and also the relationship of returning home for Chhath. There is a forest near the village, amidst which there is a temple of Van Devi. According to local folklore, it is forbidden to enter this forest after sunset. The inspiration for the film has been taken from this folktale related to the Van Devi Temple located in Bihta, Bihar, where many beliefs regarding the forest and the goddess have been prevalent for generations. The sage does not believe these things. Meanwhile, there is a conflict between development and nature regarding the forest. But when the sage reaches the forest and discovers supernatural powers after an old seal is broken, even his own thinking comes into question. This is where the first part catches the most. Village atmosphere, relationships, light humor and the mystery of the forest go hand in hand. But in the second part, the story moves away from the question of nature and land and directly towards the big battle of good versus evil. Due to this, the struggle related to land that arose in the beginning is left behind a little. There are no less ideas in the story, just some ideas do not get a chance to be fully revealed. How is the acting in the film? Siddharth Malhotra handles the emotional changes along with the action in the character of Rishi. His distrust gradually changes to trust, although if this change had been given a little more time, the character would have deepened. Tamannaah Bhatia looks natural and her husband-wife chemistry with Siddharth gives a human base to the fantasy portion of the film. His character has potential, but the screenplay doesn’t utilize it fully. Sunil Grover is a good surprise of the film. His style in a serious character seems different and curiosity increases as his story unfolds. Manish Paul brings laughter and lightness to the first half. Shweta Tiwari and Anup Soni also fit well into their characters. How is the direction of the film? The biggest success of director Deepak Kumar Mishra is that he did not make a lesser heard folk tale of Bihar just a story of fear. It has family, nature, faith, the question of development and also fantasy. The only problem is that in trying to carry so many things together, the screenplay sometimes goes ahead of its own pace. The mystery that is created slowly in the beginning, later many answers are found quickly. If some things had remained hidden a little longer, the thrill of the forest could have lasted longer. Cinematography is the great strength of the film. The greenery, mist, darkness and light of the forest together create such an atmosphere that sometimes the forest itself seems to be a character in the story. The soil and village identity of Bihar remains intact in the production design. Animation explaining mysterious creatures and old events is also an interesting experiment in the film. The scale has been kept large in VFX. Some scenes look great, while at other places the computer generated parts don’t sit so comfortably. The scale of the film is definitely visible on the big screen. How is the music of the film? ‘Samjho Na’ gives place to the romantic part of the story, while ‘Thumak Thumak’ adds fun to the atmosphere. But ‘Chhathi Maiya’ is most connected to the roots of the film. The atmosphere of Chhath’s ghats, arghya and devotion connects the film with the culture of Bihar. Yes, cinema has taken some liberties here too – some scenes seem more filmy and decorated than the simplicity of real Chhath. The real Chhath is based on four days of meditation, fasting, discipline and the tradition of offering Arghya to the rising and setting sun; The film captures the spirit of it, not every detail. Final Verdict on the film ‘The One’ is a desi fantasy adventure, which makes the folklore of Bihar, the faith of Chhathi Maiya and the mysterious forest the basis of its world. The atmosphere, cinematography and actors of the film make it worth watching. In the second half, the story takes a familiar path, but its earthy world and the scale of the big screen maintain its impact. The path is not equally strong everywhere, but stepping into the world of ‘The One’ is definitely an interesting cinematic experience.
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‘द वन’- मूवी रिव्यू: वन देवी की लोककथा, छठी मइया की आस्था और रहस्य से भरी कहानी, जंगल में छिपा है कौन सा राज?
