Kaksparsh (2012) User Reviews

Compelling Love Story

[gunjangodbole · 9/10 · 19 June 2012]

Though a Maharashtrian, I don't usually watch Marathi films. I heard this is a really good one, so took my parents (who are averse to watching film in a theatre for so many reasons) to the theatre. It turned out to be a fantastic movie with an engrossing plot.

The story moves fast without lingering on at any scene (except a couple of songs which were a little annoying because of the exceptionally loud sound in the hall), and deals with all the aspects of the story grippingly. Sachin Khedekar & Priya Bapat are awesome, and so is all the supporting cast.

As I read in a review before going for this movie, among love stories that stand out, there is Casablanca, there is DDLJ, and then there is Kaksparsh. Though targeted to a limited audience being in a regional language, this film still leaves a mark no smaller than any of the Hollywood or Bollywood counterparts.

A great Marathi movie portraying a beautiful relationship

[phanse-ketan · 9/10 · 2 August 2012]

Set in 1930s, this Marathi movie revolves around a strong relationship of a widow and her brother in law. Beautiful cinematography, strong lines and great acting has held the movie for its 2 hrs 15 min.

The movie starts with a Hari completing the last rites of his brother and then gradually moves to set the scene. Uma, his brother's widow, is forced to live a strangled life and faces many hardships. The only support she gets is from Hari, who for some reasons is willing to fight against the society. The movie shows their relation over the next 10 years. What makes it so special is the constant question that it makes the audience bother. The end is very thoughtfully written and sticks with you for days after the movie is over.

This movie has taken Marathi film industry to new heights. Recommended watch with sub titles for all audiences!

No ordinary love story

[varun_120 · 7/10 · 4 August 2012]

This film will mostly be understood by Indian viewers. Because the very context of the movie is based on Indian traditions which can not be fathomed by the Western couterparts. This films also shows how much obscurantist the Indian society was (still is but a little less now). It has different yardsticks for men and women. Women were forced to go shave their heid off, if their husbands died. We must thank the British empire to have abolished Satipratha, otherwise women still would have set themselves ablaze and died after their husbands death.

Anyways, I'll come to the story. Story is set in pre-independence time. Uma marries Mahadev (Uma is underage when she is married off), and Mahadev dies just after a few days. Then, as per the customs back then Uma should go bald, but Hari, Mahadev's brother challenges this unjust custom and doesn't allow the so called moral brigade back then and the leader of that brigade (Upadhyay) to do them so. The entire film revolves around Hari saving Uma from the uncalled for wrath of the society.

After, Hari's wife dies, she tells Hari to marry Uma. But, he doesn't do it. The turning point of the film comes when Hari stops talking to Uma (the reason I won't tell, you have to watch film for that). Then Uma becomes totally aloof and distant. In the end, their true platonic love for each other unfolds. The love between duo is pure and unblemished. Nowadays, such love is hardly seen in films. But, this flick shows it aesthetically.

Recently, Marathi film-makers are making very good films. Likes of Shaala, Deool and many more winning national awards. While, mainstream Hindi films have become terrible, ostentatious and with no substance. These so called mainstream Hindi film-makers should learn how to make films from Marathi film-makers. It really makes me a proud Marathi Manoos after viewing such flicks.

Must watch

[DeepakNumber1 · 10/10 · 29 July 2012]

What a Movie! you get to see such a film once a decade. Brilliant acting performances from each of the character. A detailed & content direction. At no point of time, you will feel that the film is lagging in script or slowing down. The edit sequencing - the way things move from past-further past & present - is one of the best part. The climax is hair-raising. Maybe due to 'regional language' barrier the film might not get the response it deserves. Also a person watching the film should be aware/educated about the Brahmins morals – as international audience might lack the knowledge of it & thus might not understand the purposes of few of the things used in the films. Proud that such a film is made in India, and that too in Maharashtra. JAI MAHARASHTRA!

Excellent movie

[tusharshirvalkar · 10/10 · 26 August 2012]

Excellent movie - very strong plot,accompanied by a very good acting... and very very good direction.

The movie doesn't linger on at any scene, moves fast and deals with all the aspects of the story grippingly and on many occasions conveys everything without words. Sachin Khedekar & Priya Bapat are awesome, and so is all the supporting cast.

Mahesh Manjareksr, hats off! Whenever we start thinking that Marathi film industry is losing it glory again because of the stereo-type comedies, movies like this bring us back to theaters! It is unfortunate that some really good movies, like this, don't perform that well at the box office.

Story line of Kaksparsh .

[prathamdeshmukh1 · 10/10 · 28 May 2012]

'Kaksparsh' literally meaning 'touch of the crow'. In Hindu religion after the cremation, a small bolus of cooked rice is kept at the riverside and relatives of dead person requests nearby crows to touch the bolus by beak and once crow does so it is considered that the soul of dead person is in peace. It is a movie which revolves around the life of Uma. Uma marries to Mahadev in her teenage but due to incurable disease Mahadev dies before this couple can know each other well. Uma is still young and virgin but innocent girl and her social as well as emotional world is stirred completely. As the time passes her life starts getting hell little by external forces but more by her internal unsatisfied physical urges. Hari, an elder and married brother of Mahadev is taking care of Uma and he is aware of Uma's state of mind but can not tell her to remarry or himself can not marry her when his own wife dies at one stage. Uma later on starts becoming depressed but is naive and helpless and becomes tacit. Uma has physical affection towards Hari, the affection even Hari knows and despite of continued force about marrying to Uma from his old aunt Hari neglects it. At last Hari stops talking to Uma when he encounters Uma quietly but greedily listening to his son and his new wife's personal chats in their bedroom. After a while Uma becomes ill and bedridden. Hari finally agrees to start talking to Uma looking at her serious condition and confesses her why he was so strict about her issue of remarriage and tells her the story of Mahadev's Kaksparsh which he agreed to Mahadev at the time of that ritual not to publicize at any point of his life to any one but circumstances forces him to disclose it to Uma and just after that Uma dies when Hari finally agrees to marry her and promises her to end her miserable life. Kaksparsh is a movie which explains the personal life of a helpless widow.

Brilliant

[himanshug1 · 8/10 · 28 December 2014]

I saw this film on Channel four. I found the narratives and story telling of this film very holding and engaging. It moved from scene to scene without dragging. As a non- maharastrian I fonud easy to follow the dialogues and subtitles. Cinematography filming has been sharp and clear. quality was excellent, adding to value of films. As a main protagonist Sachin Khedekar is simply brilliant. On IMDb there is only one critic review, who seems to be disappointed with the film. He claims to be missed opportunity. He seems to have read Usha Datar's book with the same name, and is implying that book has material, if filmed well, would have been mind blowing. I am not likely to read that book and will not be able to support or deny the claim that this film is a misopportunity. I personally found it to be a good film, worth seeing it.

A Strong Lump In the Heart

[pandeyvimleshkumar · 9/10 · 18 May 2013]

Such a Heart Crushing venture about a verbally unspoken love. I just love it. Watched it second time n it carried the same magic. Writing was sooperb. Direction was WoW. Both songs (which are mostly without much musical instruments but Magical) n background scores flow as good as blood in your veins. Soothing Cinematography. But what stands above all is the Acting by some knock-out Actors. Sachin Khedekar and Priya Bapat left me gasping at times. They were ssso good. Medha Manjrekar, there is such a motherness, simplicity and excellence into her that made me adore her. Then there is Savita Malpekar who also made an impact with her superb acting skills. Mahesh Manjrekar does wonders with the right script for him.

Brilliant story, brilliant performances!

[atharva-11779 · 10/10 · 3 February 2022]

Watch it for the nuanced performances of the lead cast. The screenplay is well written, and the simplistic music complements the screenplay well.

Sachin Khedekar and Medha Manjrekar are phenomenal!

Unique love story

[gautam-moharil · 10/10 · 12 July 2022]

This is a story set in the first part of the 20th century somewhere in Konkan. It's a complicated story of love, family, traditions and regret.

Sachin Khedikar was brilliant.

Really amazing story, Its really very difficult to express in words.

[dhaneshmane123 · 10/10 · 28 October 2012]

I love this movie, its really a very nice movie and Sachin Khedekar once again proved that he is best actor.

Its a must watch for Hindi movie makers. Much more to learn for everyone of them, a real way to make successful films.

Thanks a lot Mahesh Manjrekar, for making such a wonderful movie, and I wish you luck for all your future movies.

I was not actually a big fan of Marathi movies, but your movies have changed my mind and I want to see more movies like this, your movies are really setting example, which are going to help every movie makers to understand how to make a real movie. :)

Thanks Dhanesh Mane

Positively disturbing and over-whelming movie

[rahulrkale · 8/10 · 5 July 2013]

This is a very tough love story, where there is no conventional explicit exhibition of love and romance, but a feeling of love which is excessively controlled, endured and sacrificed for a vital promise. It portrays a woman who lives most portion of her life, facing the typical difficulties which a widow has to face in orthodoxies and on the other hand, to aggravate her life, is perplexed at the mysterious and taciturn behaviour of a man whom she loves. What a wrath of feelings she would have undergone to control her emotions, and to be restless towards the never-to-end silence and towards the absence of justification of various actions which her brother-in-law carries out. The brother-in-law, the other central character takes an oath for a split second, but endures the ramifications of it for several years, with a conscious guilt of not expressing his feelings towards a woman, and also exhibiting sheer toughness and protection, which is difficult to be perceived and interpreted by the community. Sheer genius of how Sachin Khedekar's character Hari perceives the death of the woman Uma in those final delicate moments, only so that the oath is not broken. The supposed modernist who turns out to be deceptively orthodox and superstitious and selfless at the more larger and better causes of virtues and rituals. A movie, which keeps one disturbed after its ending.

kaksparsh is a story about feelings. Its one of the finest movies I have ever seen.

[ranepriyanka18 · 21 August 2012]

Shot on the backdrop of Konkan with typical Brahmin attitude, director Mahesh Manjrekar has perfectly selected the locations, including the traditional ancestral house, to create the atmosphere of the pre- independence era.

From beginning till the end, the film sticks to its subject, without any diversions and that makes the presentation more realistic. 'Kakasparsha' is the film for sensible film viewers. Fine performances from Sachin Khedekar, Sanjay Khapre, Ketaki Mategaonkar, Vaibhav Mangle, Priya Bapat, Abhijit Kelkar, Saksham Kulkarni and others, makes it more impressive. Music and background music have been handled well and so is the wonderful cinematography capturing all those natural moments.

Actor Sachin Khedkar deserves all the praise for his memorable performance through that lifetime role of Haridada. He gets a good support from all other artistes. Prominent among them are Sanjay Khapre and Vaibhav Mangle who have invited special attention.

A must watch movie!