Panga Film Review: A Beautiful And A Seamless Slice Of Life Film With Controlled Direction And Subtle Performances

• Reviews
• Updated:January 24, 2020 10:32 IST

• Authors: Sandip Pal
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Ashwini Iyer Tiwari’s Panga is a slice of life film that talks about a very pertinent topic. Should a woman lose her existence and her desires and ambitions after she gets married and has kids?  Should a woman be oblivious to what she wants and just keep working for her family?

Panga is the story of a Jaya (Kangana Ranaut) who is a railway ticketing executive, a government professional who is also a loving wife to her husband played by Jassie Gill and a doting mother to her son.

She is so much into the daily chores that she has almost forgotten about herself but somewhere within she still looks back at the young Jaya she was. A former captain of the national Kabaddi team, she was one of the best in her teams and now she is reduced to nothing but a doormat! Well, she is habituated of the family life she has so devoted herself to.

However, having said that she has been blessed with a loving husband who doesn’t really have any qualms about her playing Kabaddi after she is married to him. In fact, he takes pride in being known as Jaya’s husband. Things take a sudden turn after they accidentally become parents of a child with a very low immunity which means someone has to be by his side all the time. And needless to say Jaya takes the onus on herself and in the process forgets everything she once stood for. Time takes a toll on her and she gradually becomes unfit. Now, when time and tide gives her a second chance will she be able to swim back to the shore and redeem herself? And even if she does, will she be able to play the national game once again with the vigour which she once very conveniently owned? That’s what the film is about.

Kangana has again proved that she is the master of all kinds off emotions. Well, from her performances one thing is for sure, she has seen life and experiences it first-hand. She has this innate knowledge of the little nuances of the humdrum life that she brings it adeptly on screen! She is phenomenal as Jaya and makes sure, she enlivens every emotion on screen.

Richa Chaddha comes out as again as an excellent performer especially because of the ease she exudes in delivering those quirky oneliners! She is a natural. The actress doesn’t quite have much screen time, so much so that at times that seems to be a takeaway from the film! But she does full justice to her role as Meenu.

Jassie Gill as the affable husband too has one a lovely job. His warm smile is sure to  melt the heart of everyone out there. He does not wrong his wife and yet when his wife becomes the customary Indian-wife, he doesn’t ask her to stay motivated towards her dream even! She conveniently accepts that and it becomes a way of life for him so much so that he becomes crippled once his wife decides to infact give it a second shot.

Neena Gupta has breathed life into Jaya’s mother’s character and we kind of reminisce about her own mothers when we see her playing out her character on screen.

The direction by Ashiwini Iyer Tiwari is a lovely job done. It is restrained and is done in a very un-flamboyant manner. The film is about life and the way we know it and thus there are no frills.