Story: Undeveloped India. Unjust India. Cut to a village which upholds a weird tradition. When the girls turn 18, they are sold off to the highest bidder instead of being married. Deepti Naval's pretty daughter is next on the bidder's list, despite the fact that she is love with a city boy who visits the village with his friend. The city boy wants to marry her and take her with him into the civilised world. But will the village elders let the young couple break the centuries-old rivaaz (tradition)...
Movie Review: It's a story that had great potential like the films on honour killings and all such moribund traditions. Girls being sold off for the upkeep of the men of the village isn't quite strange in a country where gender parity is a far from realised dream. But the amateur style of the film robs it of most of its appeal. Primarily, the fault lies with the performances of the lead couple who miserably fail to portray the trauma of the jinxed lovers. It is the ensemble cast led by veterans like Deepti Naval, Alok Nath and Vijay Raaz who do manage to lend some gravitas to the film.
Also interesting is the twist in the story where instead of depending on the men in their lives, the women decide to take things in their own hand and raise their voices of protest after centuries of silence, subjugation and exploitation.
A good idea that falls flat due to poor execution, Rivaaz is routine stuff. |
