U Turn

I had heard a lot of good things about the award-winning Marathi drama called "U Turn". And I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The story is about the relationship between a lonely man and a woman in their fifties, and the obstacles they face. Dr. Girish Oak plays Major Sudhir Vaidya, a retired army-man, divorced, with a young married daughter living in a different city. Ila Bhate plays Rama Gokhale, a widow, whose only son is well-settled abroad.

Circumstances bring these two together and even though they are as different as chalk and cheese, a beautiful bond of friendship and understanding develops. As in most of our films, the main problem is the belief that"ek aadmi aur aurat kabhi dost nahi ho sakte". Major is seeking a companion and Rama seems like the perfect candidate. They eventually start living together as companions. Both are confident that their children are mature enough to understand their relationship and their loneliness. Major is desperate to forget the past due to the bad memories, while Rama loves dreaming about all the beautiful moments from the past. However, both decide to live only for the present, forgetting everything from their past life. As time progresses, both realize that it is very difficult to forget things that are imbibed deep in your heart. Also, kids from both sides resist strongly, and it becomes difficult to move on. In the end, it is a dilemma between doing what you want and ignoring the kids you love or doing everything for the kids' happiness as you have been doing all your life and lead a lonely life forever.

Will Major and Rama choose their happiness and continue living together? Or will they make a sacrifice for their kids again? I guess you should watch the play to find out. It has a common but well scripted story, excellent performances by both the actors, and also a few comic situations and lines. All in all, a very nice play and a great one-time watch.