Tahaan, a film of great virtue

The film belongs to child-actor Purav Bhandare who delivers a spellbinding performance as the protagonist of this story. He slips into his part almost instinctively and never once makes it look like acting.

He's joined by the immensely gifted Sarika who musters up such inherent strength in her role as his mute mother. Anupam Kher, occasionally over-the-top but largely in character as the travelling delivery man, provides the conflict in the young kid's life, but Rahul Bose hams it up as the comic sidekick.

What I liked best about Tahaan is the fact that there's no sense of the little boy "not knowing" what choice he has to make in the end.

He knows exactly what he's being asked to do and he knows the consequences. He decides it's a fair trade off for getting his donkey back.

I've seen too many films where children have been taken advantage of, without their knowing. Tahaan is not that kind of film and that's where its strength lies.

I'm going to go with three out of five for Santosh Sivan's Tahaan, it's a film for those who know how to appreciate a good thing.

It's a film of great virtue.

Rating: 3/ 5 (Good)