Bhagwan Bharose movie review: Simplistic film fails to do justice to its engaging protagonists

They also dance around the new black-and-white TV set Bhola’s Bombay-based father brings back on one of his rare visits home: when the electricity gods smile, Sunday mornings become appointment viewing of the holy epics. As Nanababu says, ‘Sheher mein sab cheez sarkar bharose, par gaon mein Bhagwan bharose’ (In cities, things are run by the government, but in villages, everything depends on God’s will).

In the idyllic world of this ‘gaon’, there are growing shadows: why does no one go to the village across the river? Who lives there? Are ‘asurs’ (demons) real? A strange fellow (Manu Rishi Chaddha) who wanders about is labelled a non-believer, leaving Bhola wondering if there can be people who do not believe. There is chatter of a ‘mandir’ coming up, and a flash of a stack of bricks, and a clash between two communities which doesn’t end well.

Watch | The trailer of Bhagwan Bharose

While the interactions between the two boys remain consistently engaging even if meandering, the film falters when it finally puts all its cards on the table. The village across the river hovers into view, with men in skull-caps going about their business, but it is one problematic scene — of a butcher cleavering flesh — which sticks. Clearly, the idea is to show how a certain kind of upbringing and learning, and consequent ignorance, can impact impressionable minds, and potentially turn people into bigots, but this turn-off comes off too late, almost as an after-thought, with the execution bordering on the simplistic.

Bhagwan Bharose movie cast: Satendra Soni, Sparsh Suman, Vinay Pathak, Masumeh Makhija, Shrikant Verma, Sawan Tank, Mahesh Sharma, Manu Rishi Chaddha
Bhagwan Bharose movie director: Shiladitya Bora
Bhagwan Bharose movie rating: 2 stars