Piku is quite likely a tribute to Satyajit Ray as it is named after a short film the legendary filmmaker made some decades back, and also because of the references of Ray the director sprinkles in the early part of the film. However, if you expect Sujit Sarkar to match up to that of his influence, you would be truly disappointed
The director says in a Television promo that he is a bit of Bhaskar, the eccentric Bengali central character played by Amitabh Bachchan. The film is seen through the eyes of his daughter Piku (brilliantly played by Deepika Padukone). For the storyline you can refer to any of the several reviews out there. My nit-picky trait uncovered the following:
1. Bhaskar is shown to be a self-centered 70 year old man. He is so selfish that he doesn't want his daughter to get married and go elsewhere. In real life such a Bengali would be very difficult to come across. I haven't seen any Bong father who is as selfish as Bhaskar is depicted in the movie.
2. Bhaskar is a confused person. Someone who is petrified of traveling in a car because a knife is in the dickey of the vehicle, and who wouldn't allow his daughter Piku drive on the highway, goes cycling for 30 km on the streets of Kolkata one fine morning. Didn't the unruly traffic of the city bother Bhaskar? What about his motion when he ventured to go quite a distance from his home?
3. Bhaskar introduces his daughter Piku to guests as a non-virgin. Which crazy Bong father would do this?
4. A greedy promoter flies down from Kolkata to Delhi and comes to Bhaskar's house in Chittaranjan Park with a proposal of a buyer for Bhaskar's Kolkata house. Bhaskar is so rude that he doesn't even offer a cup of tea to this man. Quite unlike a Bong trait again.
5. What was the point of this movie? Maybe the film is a bit of family drama/road movie but exactly what message did we learn from Bhaskar and his life?
As Piku in a dining table conversation remarks "There is a limit to how much one can tolerate talk about sh*t." (Piku's father's only subject of discussion revolves around sh*t) Perhaps the director ought to realize that there is a limit to the extent a viewer can keep patience on a never-ending conversation about human sh*t.
1. Bhaskar is shown to be a self-centered 70 year old man. He is so selfish that he doesn't want his daughter to get married and go elsewhere. In real life such a Bengali would be very difficult to come across. I haven't seen any Bong father who is as selfish as Bhaskar is depicted in the movie.
2. Bhaskar is a confused person. Someone who is petrified of traveling in a car because a knife is in the dickey of the vehicle, and who wouldn't allow his daughter Piku drive on the highway, goes cycling for 30 km on the streets of Kolkata one fine morning. Didn't the unruly traffic of the city bother Bhaskar? What about his motion when he ventured to go quite a distance from his home?
3. Bhaskar introduces his daughter Piku to guests as a non-virgin. Which crazy Bong father would do this?
4. A greedy promoter flies down from Kolkata to Delhi and comes to Bhaskar's house in Chittaranjan Park with a proposal of a buyer for Bhaskar's Kolkata house. Bhaskar is so rude that he doesn't even offer a cup of tea to this man. Quite unlike a Bong trait again.
5. What was the point of this movie? Maybe the film is a bit of family drama/road movie but exactly what message did we learn from Bhaskar and his life?
As Piku in a dining table conversation remarks "There is a limit to how much one can tolerate talk about sh*t." (Piku's father's only subject of discussion revolves around sh*t) Perhaps the director ought to realize that there is a limit to the extent a viewer can keep patience on a never-ending conversation about human sh*t.