Ahaan review - Nikhil Pherwani’s directorial debut rises above typical Bollywood tropes in this beautiful tale of a man with Down Syndrome

3.5/5

Nikhil Pherwani’s Ahaan is the heartwarming tale of a 25-year-old man with Down Syndrome. Pherwani could have chosen to go the typical Bollywood way and taint the narrative with excessive melodrama and plot points that make the audience look at the special needs protagonist with teary eyes. However Pherwani, in his directorial debut, rises above these tropes and creates a movie that is truly a poignant reflection of a man who is the epitome of purity and goodness.

Ahaan, beautifully portrayed by Abuli Mamaji, has ambitions like every other man his age - he wants to get married, start his own family, be independent and live with his wife. His dreams are simple, but it is the challenges he faces in his day-to-day life as a person with disabilities that makes turning them into a reality difficult. Though Ahaan’s friends in the building are unable to understand him, he finds comfort in his household help Hari (Haresh Raut) and Anu Aunty (Niharika Singh). Anu is a frequent customer of Ahaan’s mother, Gayatri (Shilpa Mehta), who bakes brownies and cookies. Ahaan then routinely delivers his mother’s baked goods to Anu, who is kind and warm.

Though Anu is exceptionally sensitive to Ahaan, she struggles to understand the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder her husband Ozzy (Arif Zakaria) has. Over time, the cracks in their relationship start to show and Anu leaves Ozzy, unable to cope with his OCD. It is then that Ozzy turns to Ahaan to win his wife back, using schemes and plots that make Ahaan the unknown mediator in their relationship.

What begins as a means to mend his relationship with Anu, turns into an honest friendship between Ozzy and Ahaan. The latter lacks a father figure in his life - his own father is scared of Ahaan venturing out in the world all by himself and tries to prohibit him from making deliveries for his mother. This is where Ozzy steps up - he gives Ahaan advice, lets him explore the world on his own terms and provides emotional support. At first, Ozzy is insensitive and callous. He even berates Ahaan on one occasion, only to apologize as soon as he realizes the hurt he has caused. Though Ozzy is a flawed character, he shows compassion and humanity towards Ahaan, who has experienced very little of it in a world that does not understand him.

In the midst of this, Ahaan is grappling to grasp his friendship with Onella (Plabita Borthakur), who is always there for him when he needs her. Meanwhile, Ozzy is trying to overcome his OCD by visiting a therapist who suggests exposure therapy to help him push past his fear of dirty surfaces.

Through Ahaan, Pherwani does an incredible job of highlighting the story of a man who has Down Syndrome but does not let it tear him down. Mamaji is simply playing himself in front of the audience, which makes his portrayal of Ahaan even more touching and authentic. The film does not explore the ramifications of OCD and the consequent therapy as much as Down Syndrome and that is perhaps one of the only shortcomings in an otherwise eloquent sketch.