So when do you 'pull the plug' - and how do you deal with the uncertainty called LIFE is what the film WAITING is all about. I, for one, can't remember how many times I have told my husband and kids that if I am in that state where it is difficult to keep me alive they should take the decision to 'pull the plug'. But when the time comes how easy will it be for a family member to do that?
WAITING takes you through the stages of frustration, anger, dejection, acceptance and utter helplessness a family member goes through when a loved one is on life support - dead but not quite yet. When does one decide to let go and for how long does one hang on to the hope of life?
Subtle references to the commercial needs of the medical profession and the nexus between insurance companies and hospital boards only increase the futility of the wait. How much of what the doctor tells you is true? How much does he or she know? Are his decisions based on commerce or empathy?
Fragile relationships in these times of Facebook and Twitter, strangers bonding for no other reason except shared pain, efforts to rise above the morbidity and snatch moments of hope and cheer are some of the layers the film explores through its beautifully montaged scenes.
Excellent, nuanced performances by the two protagonists makes this film a treat to watch. Naseeruddin shah - and this is the Naseer one waits for years to watch - is flawless. Kalki portrays the mercurial Tara with great ease. Her eyes convey a gamut of expressions and make her silent moments as impactful as her loquacious ones.
Go watch WAITING not only because sometime in your life you may, in all probability, be faced with a similar dilemma but also because it's only once in a while that you get a chance to see good cinema! And such a chance should not be missed.
Kiran
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