SHERU BY AYESHA BAIG
Directed by Ayesha Baig / Reviewed by Riya Saha
This gentle, small film had me thinking of how a few people can change our way of thinking. Two of the main characters in this film connect intimately with people and their love and liking for each other builds a connection to form the crux of the story.
Sheru a thirteen-year-old child leaves her parents and goes to Karachi in search of her teacher Mehak. Every bit of the movie ends a message to the world. Whether it is about supporting the education of children or making savings, or portraying empowering women, the film succeeded in doing its best.
Set in a Village of Rajasthan the movie shows the lifestyle lead by the Rajasthani families, moreover, you can get in touch with the plight of women who are dominated by their husbands.
Coming to the acting, each of the actors did a brilliant job of portraying their characters. Whether it is the 13-year-old Sheru played by Anas Yasin or the teacher Mehak played by Zohra Lasi, you will love the bonding between both of them. My personal preference is Zohra as her role is exceptionally powerful, and her cute smile will surely win your heart.
She sends the perfect example of a teacher, and how to encourage students to learn. She plays a strong role in the life of Sheru and of course, she is the only inspiration who made Sheru a successful teacher 23 years later.
Mehak is comfortable when she is performing her job. The way she explains simple things to the children and how interestingly they listen to her is worth watching.
The story sends a strong message of how important it is to save money by adding numbers. And this Sheru learns this from his young age. Despite Mehak has a good cause she had to fight with people liked Sheru’s dad who thinks that by educating them Mehak is destroying their life. By Religion Mehak is a Muslim and this again is a big problem, as people think Muslim women should maintain modesty and privacy from unrelated males.
I believe Sheru will leave a social impact as many people will come forward like Mehak and fight against the social abnormalities. The film managed to strike the right chord and is among one of the successful independent movies.
Of course, Sheru has the right balance of plot, setting, characterization, structure, and theme, which made the screenplay very interesting. Attention is paid to sound, music, lighting, camera angles, and editing.
Two characters that will surely steal your mind is Sheru and Mehak. Among the supporting characters, a must mention is “Raheel” who played Mehak’s fiancé. It is said that in your mission to do something good you will always need a partner who will help you. And Raheel did the same, despite he did not like social working but he supported Mehak because this is what she loves doing. Believe me every girl needs a Raheel to become successful in her life.
Ayesha Fatima the director has surely succeeded in her struggles against the norms of her society. Movies like Sheru will surely make her spread awareness and help her fulfill her dreams and also empower other women like Mehak to do the same.
