WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
The age of adolescence. For anyone alive, frankly, we can most likely recall those first formative years entering our teens when many things that we’d ignored or dismissed suddenly became real and desired. In whatever forms these may have manifested, it truly heralded the start of new beginnings and adventures, putting basic childhood behind us while still enjoying its freedoms, but also marked the arrival of challenges that could define who we will endeavor to be. For 13-year-old Bharat (Rudhraksh Jaiswal), school is out for summer break and he now looks to a simple, rather uneventful vacation. Dealing with the general pains of growing up and the at times enigmatic marriage his parents have, all is well until a new tenant named Meera (Shamita Shetty) moves into their suburban apartment complex and precedes to involuntarily create a stir amongst the residents. Striking up an unanticipated friendship with her, Bharat soon begins to learn more about how complicated and fulfilling life’s experiences can be.
Next, my Mind:
Having entertained its North American Premiere as the Saturday night Centerpiece feature at the 2022 DFW SAFF sponsored by Toyota USA and hosted by Jingo Media Founder/Festival Director Jitin Hingorani and Artistic Director Ambica Dev, the 112-minute indie feature film effort from writer/director/producer Sushrut Jain, producers Kanchan Kalra and Daniel Walter plus executive producers Naveet Chugh, Jesse David, John Johnson IV, Francis Davidson, and Joshua Deutsch conveys its tale of young teen innocence both found and lost with wonderfully executed, well-grounded credibility and engaging writing that brings the characters to life on those effective, ever-common-in-indie-film platforms that are the portrayals of our existence as human beings, the struggles we endure, the choices we make, and the ramifications of it all that will forever shape us into the individuals we shall become. In other words, convincingly relatable.
This time seen through the eyes of a 13-year-old boy living in a highly traditional and deeply reserved apartment complex in the outer suburbs of Mumbai and the beautiful new tenant who moves in and shakes everyone (especially the men!) up, the narrative deftly morphs itself into something well beyond this foundational premise that could have sunk into cliched, frat-boy-style humor or pure rudeness of content and tone, but thankfully DOESN’T. That alone is something this critic often RELIES on to be the case when turning to South Asian cinema for both entertainment and adept storytelling. As such, this story becomes a smartly directed character study immersing us into two utterly different perspectives on life and the subsequent merging of those realities that then turns into what should be a virtually impossible friendship to develop, much less maintain or gain anything vital from it, that is shared by two people from totally different walks and stages in life. BUT–it WORKS! It’s perception vs. reality. Self-worth vs. being manipulated. Deception vs. truth. All of this and more is given its just due along with the cornerstone wonder of innocent connection and the pangs of likewise innocent desires.
That is the magic that forms the ultimate core of this film, an illustration of two PEOPLE–realistically eclipsing age and gender–discovering that sometimes at least, we can end up benefitting from both the surprise and release found in someone we might never have considered associating with or finding, as this film showcases, a degree of comfort through during tumultuous times. It’s a uniquely conceived twist on a typical coming-of-age tale that, mind you, doesn’t remotely shy away from also presenting the hard truths affiliated with hidden secrets, past mistakes, rash actions taken in moments of emotional stress, and the ripple effect the ensuing consequences can have, leading to difficult lessons being encountered as is likewise so emotively and conclusively portrayed in the film as well. Yet, amidst all the mix of beauty and chaos we’re witness to, the film’s finale is one that speaks with undeniable power about forgiveness–extending, receiving, and healing through it–then being able to move on for the better. Simply put–the world needs SO much MORE of that in words, attitudes, and actions.
Jaiswal is yet ANOTHER young child actor from the South Asian arena that does what do many others have accomplished in this critic’s forays into that region’s indie cinema–blown my mind with the level of talent brought to the table through his role as Bharat, a 13-year-old on the cusp, initially unbeknownst to him, of having to confront some of life’s joyous but also harder facets while on summer break from his schooling. The perfect blend of honest naiveté, intense curiosity, barely there but surfacing boldness, and impeccability of character, Bharat’s entire view of the world is upended upon noticing then befriending his apartment complex’s new resident, Meera, a woman from the heart of Mumbai whose sweetness and charm may be covering something from her past. Even as Bharat pursues the friendship more, feeling the sensation of a real crush, and relishing everything she’s allowing him to experience, it still leads to those life lessons we sometimes wish we didn’t have to know. It goes so much farther than that, but I won’t spoil anything here per usual. Jaiswal is a marvel, infusing the character with magnificent believability and “SO gotta root for this kid!” wit and natural charisma. Bravo, my young friend, bravo!
This is my first film seeing Shetty on screen and what I immediately fell for here is that while she may have major Bollywood cred behind her, the manner by which she comes across here, like Jaiswal, is fully accessible and both endearing and heartbreaking through her portrayal of Meera, a young woman from the city of Mumbai who becomes the center of wanted, though mostly unwanted, attention when she moves into the traditional suburban housing complex she does. Bringing a more unconventional look and attitude with her, it causes a stir among the other residents but attracts the innocent Bharat with whom she gains an unanticipated friend in. Willing to hang out at her place and beyond, she relishes being SEEN as a PERSON by a male as opposed to being objectified and ogled, and it seems to be healing her of an inner pain she’s carrying, which when revealed, threatens to ruin everything she and Bharat had gained. Again, there’s so much more to it, but suffice it to say, Shetty is a portrait of both an empowered yet estranged and vulnerable woman, which translates so well to this story, lending an ever-fluctuating atmosphere of happiness and tension to events, a mix of intensity and allure that Shetty embodies with vigor and poignancy.
Primary supporting roles are, as in many ensemble cast efforts, numerous including Atul Srivastava and Divya Jagdale as Bharat’s parents who may or may not be facing potential marital upheaval even if subtle in nature but boiling under the surface, Swanand Kirkire and Sheeba Chaddha as Mr. and Mrs. Mishra, the former the head of the building’s “society” and whom becomes a tad TOO obsessed with their new tenant, Akshat Singh as Pappu, Bharat’s best friend who tries his level best to be there in support of Bharat’s pursuits, Harsh Mayar as Rocky, the complex’s “gang” leader with whom Bharat has several run-ins with, Vasuki and Aniruddha Mahale as Natasha and Rohan, friends of Meera’s from Mumbai, and Manish Anand as Ajay, a former flame of Meera’s who might wish to strike up the flame again. Additional turns arrive from Jayesh V. Kardak, Chittaranjan Tripathy, Sanyogita Sharma, Manoj Shah, Gracy Goswami, Pramod Pathak, Lucky Sharma, Divy Mahnot, Het Thakkar, Nalneesh Neel, Dayanand Shetty, Bikramjeet Kanwarpal, and Aparna Mendies.
So, in total, “The Tenant” has much to unpack in the best of ways through its winning combination of drama, comedy, heart, and ultimate messages about growing up, hidden pain, the need for friendships and the healing they bring us, plus the grander search for obtaining acceptance and absolution by admitting our faults instead of experiencing rushed judgement and trying to keep under wraps those things that we regret. Aka: Second chances. Additionally, as mentioned above, it’s a journey of being open to that which you’d never anticipate to have meaning or impact on your life, and it therefore speaks to this world’s desperate need for us as its inhabitants to rediscover the essential wonder of practical bonds between ALL of us in order to be the kind of people who others WANT to have around.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
