Film Review: Dhak Dhak [Heartbeat]

Starring: Ratna Pathak Shah, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Dia Mirza, Sanjana Sanghi, Dheerendra Dwivedi, Benedict Garrett

Director: Tarun Dudeja

As a film centred around four strong female characters, this Netflix film comes packaged with some pre-conceived expectations which make this a complex ride from the start.

Mahi (Shah) is leading a pretty mundane existence as a grandmother who is carrying on with her day-to-day chores of cooking and cleaning for her largely absent family. When a chance coupon win lands a motorbike at her doorstep, she suddenly feels like she can dare to dream once again of a different and more fulfilling life. The motorbike leads her to Sky (Shaikh), struggling with her own demons of a viral video, and thus forms a very unlikely friendship.

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Somehow Mahi’s clearly impossible goal of riding all the way to Khardung La mountain pass in Leh, Ladakh, ties in with Sky’s own unsettled existence and they find a common cause. The goal to hit her social media targets and bag her own prize of heading to Barcelona for a major motor show soon become less of a priority.

They are joined in this arduous mission by Uzma (Mirza) as their on-road mechanic after she manages to dupe her controlling husband into getting away for a few days to be a part of the unique road trip. Young and docile Manjari (Sanghi) eventually completes the foursome that is to undertake the journey of a lifetime that will not only take them through several climatic zones but also through experiences that will change each of their lives forever. Will this fearless foursome accomplish their mission of riding into Khardung La pass in time or will extenuating circumstances render their goals unachievable?

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This small film with a big heart is a joyous celebration of women power and bonding, told with a sensitivity that is packed with emotion and tenderness. Ratna Pathak Shah as the ageing granny determined to prove her naysayers wrong is simply superb. Burqa-clad Mirza as the long-suffering wife with an immense inner strength is also ideal fit for her role, as are the others who come together perfectly as a foursome. The male characters in the film are incidental, and rightly so.

This is the kind of sweet film that can be added on to watchlists for when on the lookout for an uplifting and heart-warming tale of optimism and positivity.