The Sky Is Pink
Year: 2019
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf

As Priyanka Chopra’s first Bollywood movie after being ‘nicked’ by Hollywood, The Sky Is Pink was always in the news. It was also interesting to see how a seemingly morbid real life-story of a young girl dying of an incurable illness translated on the silver screen.

What’s the plot?

Aisha Chaudhary was born with a rare genetic disorder called SCID (Severe Combined Immune Deficiency). Her then none-too-well-off parents took her to London; raised money through crowdsourcing and got her bone marrow transplant and stem cell transfusion done. Aisha recovered well and as a teenager, returned to India with her family. Unfortunately, it was then discovered that some late side-effects of the earlier chemotherapy had damaged her lungs beyond repair. At the age of 18, Aisha succumbed to her illness, but only after leaving the world richer with memories of her positive attitude through her motivational speeches and writings.

The Sky Is Pink is a biopic of this brave girl and her loving, protective family, which did everything possible and beyond, not just to keep her alive but to make her every wish come true.

Verdict

The strength of the movie lies in its moving storyline and the relatable characters. To director Shonali Bose’s credit, she avoids melodrama and presents the tragic tale in a lighthearted manner with dollops of sunny humor and at times, outright flippancy.

The lead performances are top notch. Zaira Wasim is superb as the adolescent Aisha, who makes light of her impending death with her chirpy, bubbly nature but sadly cannot escape the typical teenage vulnerabilities. As her elder brother, Rohit Saraf impresses with a mature sensitive portrayal.

Priyanka Chopra delivers a commendable performance as Aisha’s fiercely protective, obsessive mother whose life’s sole purpose is to keep her ailing darling daughter happy, even at the cost of making herself an alien in her own house. Farhan Akhtar, despite a secondary role, wins over as the strong man of the house, a doting father and a devoted husband, who uncomplainingly balances his career and family responsibilities in the most trying circumstances.

The best part of the film is the touching first one third part which deals with the couple’s fight to raise money to treat their ailing infant daughter. The back-and-forth narration and uneven emotional tones loosen the grip of the film in the latter parts, lessening the overall impact.

The better handled climax reminds us how fighting with a close family member’s disease and death takes such a heavy toll on the near and dear ones; putting them in an emotional wringer and often making them forego and forget their own lives and happiness.

The Sky Is Pink is a well-made if slightly patchy film with a strong emotional core and excellent performances. It is a perfect ode to a brave family, which together valiantly fought a losing battle. It makes us re-examine our attitudes towards holding on and letting go!

Rating

3 stars