BOTTOM LINE
Old-Fashioned Story, Sincere Drama
PLATFORM
ZEE 5
RUNTIME
1 hour 45 minutes
What Is the Film About?
Salman is a debt-ridden, small-time barber who goes out of his way to ensure a quality life for his daughter Safia, an engineering student in Delhi. The local money lender, Yazdani, keeps taunting Salman to sell his saloon to repay his debts, yet the latter doesn’t budge. When Salman falls sick, and the family’s financial plight worsens, Safia chooses to be the ‘man’ of the family, quite literally.
Performances
Aditi Subedi holds the fort well in a film that is significantly shouldered by her performance. There is no visible awkwardness in her male transformation, and the neat styling helps her cause. Siddharth Menon is strictly okay as the impulsive music enthusiast. Mehrin Saba and Neetu Pandey are not left with much to do. Popular faces like Kanwaljit Singh and Naseeruddin Shah are unfortunately not utilised to their fullest potential.
Analysis
Popular cinematographer Baba Azmi took a shot at wielding the megaphone with his directorial debut Mee Raqsam (which debuted on ZEE5) a few years ago, where a girl confronts social customs, conservatism, and dogmas to chase her passion for excelling at Bharatanatyam. His films are best enjoyed when viewed in terms of their intent, how they challenge norms, rather than purely for their cinematic merit.
He returns to the director’s chair with another direct-to-digital release for ZEE5 with Safia/Safdar. Much like his earlier film, this is centred on a girl who ultimately rises above social barriers to safeguard her family. The story, albeit slightly old-fashioned, follows a daughter forced to dress like a man to tide over gender barriers and pay her father’s debts, all while chasing her writing dreams.
The setup is quite functional. Salman is introduced as an ordinary lower-middle-class man who runs a saloon to keep his family afloat, while his wife takes on odd tailoring jobs to help with household expenses. They have a daughter, Safia, a wide-eyed, passionate engineering student who, on the cusp of adulthood, gradually comes to terms with the reality of her father’s financial constraints.
The primary roadblock in their lives is Yazdani, a moneylender who threatens to take over Salman’s saloon if he doesn’t pay his monthly instalments on time. All hell breaks loose when Salman falls ill. Safia is forced to put her studies on hold for the time being, as the debts continue to mount. At this vulnerable time, Safia makes a bold choice to tide over the crisis.
The plot is quite simple: a girl in a man’s world is forced to become the ‘man’ of the family, running her father’s saloon to meet their financial needs while writing lyrics for a local band desperate for new ideas. Music becomes an avenue to channel the storm raging within her as she hides her true identity from the world. Despite the generic plot, there’s an undeniable sincerity in the drama.
The interpersonal relationships in the film and the mundane realities of a small-town world are established well, such as how the men gather in the saloon to discuss everything under the sun without actually getting a haircut, leaving Safia frustrated (and they later contribute financially too). The love-hate friendship between Aman and ‘Safdar’, their musical exchanges, and their tiffs add juice to the narrative.
The writer in Safia is brought to the fore early on (before the crisis hits). The way she finds a way to stay optimistic, along with her views on marriage, brings credibility to her turn as a lyricist later. There is no screechy, high-pitched drama in the proceedings; however, on a writing level, the conflicts and resolutions are a tad too melodramatic and convenient for comfort.
The film is considerably weaker with the music band sub-plot, where Safia comes up with lines out of the blue, as if she has picked them up from her back pocket. There is no reason to believe that the band is special; Aman conveniently finds Safia in the saloon, and they join forces with ease. The absence of a strong purpose or authenticity to the backdrop mars the viewing experience.
Safia/Safdar, a poor man’s Gully Boy, even with its flaws, leaves you with a good aftertaste because it is simple, straightforward, and compact. It doesn’t go overboard with the drama; the situations are relatable, and the characters come alive earnestly. While some writing choices aren’t in sync with the times, it turns out to be a passable one-time watch.
Music and Other Departments?
Ripul Sharma’s music, for a film that could have easily been a musical, fails to create a solid impact. The background score fares slightly better in comparison. The cinematography by Thomas A. Xavier does the needful within the limitations of the story and backdrop. The editing is generally precise and allows the soul of the film to come through, though the outdated writing remains a cause for concern.
Highlights?
Sincere performances
Neat drama
Compact runtime
Drawbacks?
Outdated writing
Snail-paced, convenient screenplay
Popular faces remain underutilised
Did I Enjoy It?
Only in parts
Will You Recommend It?
If you don’t mind a low-stakes story of a girl overcoming social barriers for her family
Safia/Safdar Movie Review by M9
