I watched the Hindi version of Adinath Kothare’s Marathi movie ‘Paani’ on Amazon Prime. Another reason for my selection is, the film had bagged 6 Filmfare Awards for various areas, from the Director, Actor, Writer to music. Notwithstanding, the film seemed to have garnered awards from The National Film Award 2024 and The New York Indian Film Festival (2024). 

It is the tale of an ordinary youth’s efforts to make Nagdarvadi, a village in Nanded, a parched village independent of water crisis with the help of the villagers. In this mission, he had to face the local goons who tried to scuttle his marathon efforts and also had to win over his love interest in the neighboring village. The nearly two-hour tale of ups and downs the hero and villagers face to the most unexpected climax is engaging, if not entertaining. 

While watching the film, I cannot, but recall the striking Tamil film of late K Balachander’s acclaimed Tamil movie ‘Tanneer, Tanneer’. (1981). I revisited the film that is 44 years old, which kept me engaged even today.  The verisimilitude between ‘Thanner Thaneer’ and ‘Paani’ is not just the theme and title, but on the struggles too. Nevertheless, KB’s treatment and Komal Swaminathan’s razor-sharp dialogues, Sarita’s poignant performance, strutting in and out, but interesting characters elevate KB’ movie a step above ‘Paani’ for me. KB’s film also bagged the National Award and several other honors during that time. Well, Adinath had done his best in the areas he had been a part from direction, acting to editing. 

The major distinction is, the protagonist in Tamil is a woman, while in Hindi it is a young man. 

Though I appreciate ‘Paani’ since in the present milieu of action and crime seemed to have created a good impression among the sensible movie goers, but shocked that such drylands, parched places with miserable population still prevail in the ‘developed’ India even after four long decades.