By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.2 cats
Director: Chaitanya Tamhane
Starring: Aditya Modak | Arun Dravid | Sumitra Bhave
Country: india
Year: 2021
Running time: 127
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11423784
Chris says: “A deep dive into Raag (Indian classical music) via Sharad, a performer/enthusiast of the stuff whom we first see accompanying his guru in concert. Where this varies from most films of this stripe is that, as it unfolds over roughly a decade, we come to see that Sharad is good, but decidedly not great despite all the training he gleans from his mentor and rare instructional recordings he listens to riding his bike through Mumbai in a series of hypnotic tracking shots. Understated and thoughtful, if a little overlong and static at times. 3 cats”
Bob says: “Sharad carries his father’s obsession: he’s dedicated his life to mastering the art of classical Indian vocal music. He practices constantly. He worships his guru, seeking his advice and approval while massaging the old man’s sore legs and taking him to medical appointments. He enters competitions and teaches at the local conservatory. He and a friend run a business compiling recordings of little-known singers. He listens to recordings of lectures by Maai, his guru’s guru, who posits that it’s all a spiritual quest. The lectures are heard while we see Sharad riding his motorcycle through Mumbai in slow motion and at least for me, it only became clear that the audio was not extra-diagetic when Sharad pulled out his earbuds, at which point the visuals went to normal speed. I had thought of these sequences as representations of Sharad allowing this philosophy to wash over him, affecting his perceptions of the city and of life, but I think it’s more a matter of him consciously trying to make that happen by providing himself with a soundtrack.
“He just isn’t that good at this. His friends, his family and his guru tell him that he’ll get it eventually — that it’s a matter of connecting to something inside him, but we see over time that it isn’t going to happen.
“It seems that we as the audience figure this out before Sharad does, but we see his resentment grow, from his disappointment in losing a competition to his reaction to a student’s career opportunity, and his response to a business meeting in which he’s supposed to be schmoozing a man who has access to a lot of rare recordings, little-known information, and opinions that don’t match Sharad’s. These moments are juxtaposed with flashbacks to his childhood, when his father inculcated him with a love for this music (and, it seems, nothing else). 4 cats, expertly trained in the classical art of meowing.”
Diane says: “I was in the minority in the weekly discussion—those who found THE DISCIPLE tedious. Repetitive scenes and an unlikable main character contributed to that. I did like the comparisons we could draw between it and LUZZU, both stories of a man who cannot let go of his inherited passion, as impractical as others see it to be.
“I acknowledge that DISCIPLE may be a fine film, but my experience was 2 cats.”
Michael says: “Tamhane’s second directorial feature is a tough film about a man who has struggled to master a complex form of Indian classical singing since childhood must come to terms as 40ish-year-old that he woo just never be a master. Like his father before him, Sharad spends countless hours struggling to master a Northern Indian classical musical style. As a young man, when he loses a high-profile competition, he also learns that it takes decades to master this art… you usually don’t know if you’re successful until your near 40. But while his guru praises his fellow students, he always seems to find fault in Sharad’s performance. Both his guru and his father studied under the tutelage of a mysterious woman who refused to be recorded, but has legendary status among a small group of devotees. When Sharad finally reaches his 40’s and he is forced to admit to himself that he will never become the master he so craves to be, he turns to teaching, and eventually selling rare, niche recordings, when he finally settles down with a wife to start a family.
“The film is a tough one, because although it’s exquisitely shot, and superbly acted, it’s ultimately a take of disappointment. Add to that the fact that there are numerous lengthy scenes of this arcane Indian music being performed, just to make sure we get a good feel for it. Believe me, I do As a counter point, there are beautiful scenes of Sharad riding his scooter through Mumbai, listening to his legendary inspirations lectures that seem nearly otherworldly. Aditya Modak brings a subtle and powerful performance to Sharad, where his every disappointment, and every disruption to his meditative calm to his face, speaking few words. I can’t say I enjoyed the film, but I can certainly say I appreciated it and the skill that went into making it. 3 1/2 cats”