After Variety gave a thumbs up to Road, Movie following its Toronto premiere in September 2009 (“Dev Benegal’s aptly titled Road, Movie is a modestly amusing dramedy that is all the more pleasant for its fleeting detours into cheeky fantasy”), Screen International, one of the most revered international trade weeklies, has given it a glowing review in advance of its European premiere at the 60th Berlin Film Festival on February 12.
Writes critic Allan Hunter, “Set in the barren desert landscapes of an unfamiliar India, it offers a picaresque journey of self-discovery given added flavour by generous dashes of adventure, comedy and romance.” He adds, “Opening the Generation 14 plus competition at Berlin, this film’s engaging spirit and gentle nature render it very approachable for international audiences looking beyond Bollywood for what Indian cinema has to offer.”
Road, Movie which has been described as ‘India’s Cinema Paradiso’, follows Vishnu (played by Abhay Deol) as a restless young man who rejects his father’s faltering hair-oil business and hits the road with a travelling cinema in search of freedom. Colourful and full of unforgettable characters, Road, Movie celebrates India’s panorama and the pure love of film. Deol is supported by Bollywood actor/director Satish Kaushik and festival favourite, Tannishta Chatterjee. The picture boasts stunning cinema-photography from the Rajasthan and Gujarat region by Michel Amathieu, with a memorable score by Michael Brook.
Presented by The Indian Film Company in association with Studio 18, Road, Movie got premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year followed by its Far East and Middle East premieres at the Tokyo and Doha International Film Festivals respectively.
