A three-day film festival, Indian Panorama, started at Bharat Bhavan from Monday with the Bollywood movie Jal. Organised by Directorate of Culture Madhya Pradesh, the event was inaugurated by Minister of Culture Surendra Patwa.
Jal is a 2013 Hindi film, which is set in the Rann of Kutch, India about an overconfident water diviner named Bakka, who tries to solve the drought problems in his village, but faces unforeseen circumstances when he tries to help a female bird watcher save flamingos.
The film is directed by Girish Malik and is his debut film as a director. The film was premiered and received special mention at the ‘New Currents’ section of the Busan International Film Festival 2013 and in the ‘Indian Panorama’ section of the International Film Festival of India.
The film has received the National Film Award for Best Special Effects for 2013 at the 61st National Film Awards. Jal was also shortlisted as an Oscars 2014 contender in the Best Picture Category and the Best Original Score Category. The film advanced in the top 114 films in the Best Original Score Category.
Jal revolves around a young man named Bakka (Purab Kohli), who is gifted with a special ability to find water in the desert. With the backdrop of water scarcity, the film tells a complex and intriguing story of love, relationships, enmity, deceit and circumstances that bring about the dark side of human character.
Jal is a high-octane, action drama with a shocking climax. Shot on an epic scale, the film is a visual treat and has managed to capture Rann of Kutch like never before. On the occasion, director Girish Malik and actress Kirti were also present.