Afwaah movie review: Filmmaker Sudhir Mishra has taken up the dangerous trend of unverified news, WhatsApp forwards, fake news and rumours going viral. In recent years, everyday we witness how a rumour can trigger mob frenzy and lynching. Afwaah is a gripping and realistic account of this contemporary socio-political scenario where facts are manipulated for personal and political gain.
The film condemns the politics of hate, social polarization and the deep-rooted patriarchy in the film.
The plot of Afwaah involves politician Vicky Banna (played by Sumeet Vyas). His fiery speech ends up polarising the people of Sawalpur. A communal clash follows and many from a minority community lose their lives. His fiance Nivi (Bhumi Pednekar) who decides to run away, she crosses path with Rahab Ahmed (Nawazuddin Siddiqui).
Dirty dance of politics
Vicky is desperate to save his political career and starts a rumour on social media, which soon goes viral. The dirty dance of politics and rumour-mongering on social media ensues. Rahab and Nivi now have to run for their lives, while karma is trying to catch up with Vicky.
Afwaah turns out like a taut political thriller.
There is this smug meme-maker too who manipulates videos termed ‘#lovejihad’, to suggest that Nivi and Rahab are lovers.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui is convincing
Siddiqui, who had earlier delivered a compelling performance in Mishra’s Serious Men (2020), is convincing as a man with his vulnerabilities, confusions and beliefs. Bhumi bring alive the character of Nivi who is desperately trying to break free from a patriarchal world filled with lies and violence. In fact every character stands out. Vyas and Hashmi stand out. TJ Bhanu shines in a cameo as a young recruit in the police department.
The writers Sudhir Mishra, Nisarg Mehta and Shiva Bajpai have a deep understanding of the contemporary world. They bring nuance to the storytelling and keep the characters layered. The movie doesn’t make any direct reference to real incidents. However, there are several powerful scenes that remind you of true cases where vigilante violence was triggered by unverified news and rumours.
Who can forget the case where a man was lynched over suspected carrying of beef. The scene showing some students taking shelter in a library remind of the 2019 incident of police attacking students in the Jamia Millia Islamia library.
Despite running the risk of sermonizing, Afwaah will make you sit up and realise the perils of rumour mongering and fake news.
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