Review: ‘Well Done Abba’ is a remarkable take on water crisis

Spicezee Bureau

Known for making films on unique subjects, Shyam Benegal has once again proved his mettle with ‘Well Done Abba’. From a well-rounded script to awe-striking performances from the entire cast, the film has everything to make it a winner. Targeting the water crisis and corruption in small towns, the taskmaster has delicately yet accurately brought the root cause of the problem to surface. True to his signature style, the director begins the film with a village backdrop wherein Arman Ali (Boman Irani), a driver in Mumbai, has come to his small village in Hyderabad to marry off his daughter, Muskaan. On his arrival, Arman finds that the village is in a state of chaos and disarray. While the people in urban cities have private swimming pools, the people in his village still have to walk miles to get a bucket of water. In fact, water is such a priced commodity in his village that people refuse even a glass of water to a thirsty wanderer. To make matters worse, Arman’s twin brother, Rehman (Boman Irani), and his wife (Ila Arun) are being rebuked by the villagers for stealing water from a protected well. And then Arman comes across a hoarding, which states a government scheme inviting people to dig wells with official loans. And this is where Arman’s headaches begin as he comes across the absurd, weird, dishonest government machinery that has politicians, engineers, bureaucrats and cops eating away the system. Nevertheless, after having paid off the entire amount to a long list of officials, Arman is left with a pittance from the loan. So now, the well exists but only on false documents. And it’s here that Arman decides to take charge and deal with the corrupt system in their language. The film is worth a watch for its excellent timing and of course Boman Irani! Rating: 3 cheers for this one!