Venkatesh (Venkatesh Chavan) is a self-sufficient eighteen-year-old, working for the hotel Arcadia in the city of Panjim, India, whilst saving up as much money to give to his mother on his frequent visits back to his village.
Venkatesh's best friend and business partner is 11-year old Jhangir (Jhangir Badshah), who spend their spare time selling plastic bags. Along his morning laundry-delivering route, Venkatesh sits high up a tree looking over at a gleaming swimming pool in a wealthy mans home. He dreams of swimming in the pure blue water, the pool becomes an obsession to him as a symbol of the wealth he has never known. The house is owned by Nana (Nana Patekar), who returns with his self-centred teenage daughter Ayesha (Ayesha Mohan) to tend to the garden. But neither father nor daughter use the swimming pool, which confuses Venkatesh who has by now managed to get some extra work helping Nana in his garden. He becomes even more intrigued by Ayesha, who spends her days reading books which help to "screw your head up". She strikes a friendship with Venkatesh and Jhangir, their educational, class and caste distinctions put to one side whilst they enjoy each others company.
Venkatesh and Jhangir's friendship (both local non-actors) was endearing and thought- provoking, their 7-year age gap rendered meaningless since both have had to grow up at a young age to survive. Their lack of education is all too evident, shaped by what they see not what they read, especially when Jhangir thinks everything outside of India is America. Initially, Venkatesh appeared slack and selfish, he wasn't even bothered when he inadvertently got his hotel co-worker fired. But we learn more about him and his past when he starts to open up to both Ayesha and Nana especially, developing a father-son relationship with him. This bond culminates in Nana making Venkatesh an offer that could change his life. We learn a lot about everyone, including Nana and Ayesha's strained relationship, and it becomes clear that the disused pool was central to everyone's lives.
'The Pool' seems initially to tread the familiar coming-of-age stories we have all seen, but it becomes something much more tender, much more contemplative than you could imagine. Beautifully directed by the American director Chris Smith, known for such documentaries as 'American Movie' and 'The Yes Men', he covers a lot of difficult themes with little melodrama or pretension. Complex subjects such as education, the caste system and poverty are treated deftly and with scant moralising. The characters are naturalistic, their insecurities are teased out of them through subtle and poignant observations which you cant help but be moved by.
Will Venkatesh understand and accept the wisdom behind Nana's story of the 100 Rupees, will it enslave him or empower him? Nana's offer of salvation requires Venkatesh to grow up and take a terrifying leap of faith, and he knows it. By the end, he may well have surprised us all.
Venkatesh's best friend and business partner is 11-year old Jhangir (Jhangir Badshah), who spend their spare time selling plastic bags. Along his morning laundry-delivering route, Venkatesh sits high up a tree looking over at a gleaming swimming pool in a wealthy mans home. He dreams of swimming in the pure blue water, the pool becomes an obsession to him as a symbol of the wealth he has never known. The house is owned by Nana (Nana Patekar), who returns with his self-centred teenage daughter Ayesha (Ayesha Mohan) to tend to the garden. But neither father nor daughter use the swimming pool, which confuses Venkatesh who has by now managed to get some extra work helping Nana in his garden. He becomes even more intrigued by Ayesha, who spends her days reading books which help to "screw your head up". She strikes a friendship with Venkatesh and Jhangir, their educational, class and caste distinctions put to one side whilst they enjoy each others company.
Venkatesh and Jhangir's friendship (both local non-actors) was endearing and thought- provoking, their 7-year age gap rendered meaningless since both have had to grow up at a young age to survive. Their lack of education is all too evident, shaped by what they see not what they read, especially when Jhangir thinks everything outside of India is America. Initially, Venkatesh appeared slack and selfish, he wasn't even bothered when he inadvertently got his hotel co-worker fired. But we learn more about him and his past when he starts to open up to both Ayesha and Nana especially, developing a father-son relationship with him. This bond culminates in Nana making Venkatesh an offer that could change his life. We learn a lot about everyone, including Nana and Ayesha's strained relationship, and it becomes clear that the disused pool was central to everyone's lives.
'The Pool' seems initially to tread the familiar coming-of-age stories we have all seen, but it becomes something much more tender, much more contemplative than you could imagine. Beautifully directed by the American director Chris Smith, known for such documentaries as 'American Movie' and 'The Yes Men', he covers a lot of difficult themes with little melodrama or pretension. Complex subjects such as education, the caste system and poverty are treated deftly and with scant moralising. The characters are naturalistic, their insecurities are teased out of them through subtle and poignant observations which you cant help but be moved by.
Will Venkatesh understand and accept the wisdom behind Nana's story of the 100 Rupees, will it enslave him or empower him? Nana's offer of salvation requires Venkatesh to grow up and take a terrifying leap of faith, and he knows it. By the end, he may well have surprised us all.