Preview: Pankh

By Indo-Asian News Service

Taking flight after almost two years, Bipasha Basu's much-awaited movie Pankh, which traces the gender dilemma in a young man who falls in love with an imaginary alter ego, is all set for a Friday release.

"Pankh is a wild ride through the underbelly of the film industry," said film's producer Sanjay Gupta. 

Directed by Sudipto Chattopadhyay, it stars debutant Maradona Rebello along with Mahesh Manjrekar, Lillette Dubey, Ronit Roy, Sanjeeda Sheikh and newcomer Amit Purohit. 

"This was a story that needed telling. It is a film that will touch every sensitive soul.Pankh is Bollywood's wildest take so far," Chattopadhyay had said. 

Pankh revolves around Baby Kusum, a child star. But not many know that in reality Baby Kusum is a boy masquerading as a girl. 

He was christened Jerry and then named Master Jai for the movies. Once the boy reaches adolescence, he becomes a drug abuser who has never been to school and spends all his time at home. He and his mother Mary share a turbulent relationship because of his cross dressing. 

As a youth, Jerry (Rebello) meets his dream woman, Nandini (Bipasha), causing another inner turmoil. Nandini is the fantasy woman who Jerry conjures up in his head - he sees her as a phantom who taunts him and fights with him and as an alter ego who questions his every move. 

The final blow, however, comes when Jerry is made to face the camera again as a young man, which leads to the catastrophe. 

Considering that Bipasha plays an imaginary character in the film, she sports nine different looks that reflect the attitude and mood of the hero. 

According to Bipasha, whenever Maradona feels vulnerable, she has been given a soft look and whenever he is agitated or in self doubt, she is made to look harsh. 

Bipahsha also feels that designing her look was the complete teamwork of designer Rocky S, Chattopadhyay and Gupta, who were instrumental and involved in designing the right look to match the attitude of the character. 

Also releasing Friday are Tum Milo Toh Sahi and Sadiyaan.