All India Rank movie review: Varun Grover makes a tender, crowd-pleasing directorial debut

Lyricist Varun Grover makes a confident and charming directorial debut with All India Rank, which had served as the opening film of the 12th Dharamshala International Film Festival and has now released in theatres. Set in 1997, it begins by explaining the components of Euler's identity, which is considered the most beautiful equation of Maths. e i π + 1 = 0. Animated numerical figures appear on screen to assert this point, ever so gently. Soon, we will discover, that the voiceover is that of a 17-year-old Vivek Singh (Bodhisattva Sharma), who will be sent away from his home to prepare for IIT. (Also read: Agra review: Kanu Behl confronts sexual repression in the boldest, most vital film of the year)

The premise

Vivek doesn't know what his dreams are. He has always been the topper at his school, and somehow, his father RK Singh (Shashi Bhushan) knew that Vivek would make it to IIT. His mother Manju (Geeta Agrawal) has no say in this regard. Grover establishes this middle-class family with characteristic eye for wit. The father has to control his urges to smoke, while the mother has high cholesterol, but that doesn't stop her from gorging on sweets. The only thing under their control, it seems to Vivek, is his destiny. And so he goes- from his sheltered home in Lucknow to the land of IITian makers- Kota. From here on, his journey begins to take shape in myriad, colorful ways.

Varun, who is himself an IIT-BHU alumna, fashions this semi-autobiographical film away from formulaic coming-of-age genre elements. Yes, there are the chosen few friends who are there for company. There is also the focused and diligent girl student- Samta Sudiksha, who slowly inches closer to Vivek's honesty. Yet, even with familiar touches, Grover is able to inject dollops of freshness and nostalgia-infused rushes of heartfelt moments.

The killer is in the attention to detail. Grover establishes the setting superbly. The year is 1997, so mobile phones are not anywhere near these faces. If you had to make a call, you would have to mark the nearest telephone booth. Although, it is the same element of the telephone booth, in which an incident branches out to create troubles for Manju later. (A subplot that feels a little stretched after a while.) RK Singh also suffers at work. Yet, even as these threads tie up together with the thematic concerns of All India Rank, it tends to snatch away the energy of the story at times.

What works

Working with cinematographer Archana Ghangrekar, Grover constructs this world with care and grace. There's not an iota of sentimentality that creeps in the design of this debut. Special mention to Mayukh - Mainak for such effective use of songs, the best one saved for the last in Vishal Bharadwaj's inimitable baritone.

As Vivek, Bodhisattva Sharma gives a beautiful performance- carefully bringing out the awkward and childlike innocence to his demeanour. Then there are Sashi Bhushan and Geeta Agarwal who play Vivek's parents. Its evident on screen how much care and thought Grover has given to building these two people. Their scenes together ring out with unforced, joyous truth. One truly special moment arrives when the father breaks out into a spirited 'Shaktiman' hook step to tell her that he is always there, no matter what. I caught myself smiling ear to ear.

There's a high chance that All India Rank might remind you of the recent dramas like Aspirants or Kota Factory, yet this is a film that stands out because of its willingness to accept that not everyone might be equipped with the answer. But one must continue to ask questions, seek that element of intrigue and wonder. Grover has created an immensely crowd-pleasing debut, with a tender and gigantic heart. The goal is simple. Chase the magical equation where the heart and the head fit somewhere. Until then, explore.

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