Shukrana movie review: A cursory portrayal of the predicament of young widows

As the family is plunged into sorrow at the untimely demise of Jeona, Veeran tries to put on a brave face and be the family’s bulwark. But inevitably, tongues start wagging about the relationship between the young widow and her brother-in-law Nimma (Amrit Mann), and family members start suspecting her intentions about property and money. Men in the village start circling around a single woman like vultures and the elders in the family take it upon themselves to decide her fate.

The central conflict in Shukrana is between the large joint family, its interests, well-being and prosperity on the one hand, and the expression of one’s dreams, individuality and agency on the other. However, the sketchy screenplay is only peppered with the theme of gender rights which pops up at some moments without being fully developed, and culminates into a big didactic speech at the end. This paint-by-numbers kind of approach is the main stumbling block, which the film does not recover from.

Veeran is allowed to work after her marriage, which is seen as being an unusual choice and the stereotype of working women being poor homemakers is just about mentioned. In a similar vein, there is a passing comment about women’s right to property. The theme of gender and individual agency gains momentum with Veeran becoming widowed and the family discussion thereafter. She is a capable woman who exhibits her ability to be an asset to the family, but the writer seems to forget about that just after one instructive scene.

The ambling pace of the film does not help matters either. The first half staggers along with unamusing scenes of supposed humour and Nimma’s romantic track is so underdeveloped that the subsequent break-up is almost inconsequential. In fact, the motorcycle in the film has been given more thought than Nimma’s romantic interest! The outmoded treatment of the film is disappointing as the issues that the movie takes up are very relevant.

The young, upcoming singer-actor Jass Bajwa is charismatic but seems restrained in his acting. With experience, one hopes that he embraces the profession whole heartedly and explores his acting talent fully. Neeru Bajwa plays her role to perfection but is severely underutilized, especially in the first half, while Amrit Mann, who is more suitable for action films, is just about average in his performance.

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The background music is commendable, in keeping with the mood of the scenes. The melancholic melody “Rabba Ve” is the most memorable song. Sung poignantly by Nachhatar Gill, it strikes a chord and captures the emotion beautifully. The romantic song “Khat” sung by Ammy Virk, and the wedding dance number “Nach Lai” sung by Gulaab Sidhu, Surjit Khan and Jasmeen Akhtar are the other notable tracks in the film.

Despite overall good performances and a pertinent social message, Shukrana is a middling drama that ambles towards its message.

Shukrana movie cast: Neeru Bajwa, Amrit Maan, Jass Bajwa, Simran Chahal, B.N Sharma
Shukrana movie director: Simerjit Singh
Shukrana movie rating: 2 stars