Directed by: Sudipto Chattopadhyaya
Cast: Bipasha Basu, Mahesh Manjrekar, Ronit Roy, Lilette Dubey, Kiran Karmarkar, Sanjeeda, Maradona Rebello, Daya Shanker Pandey
Pankh is a moving drama based on Mary (Lilette Dubey), a domineering mother, who forces her young child to act as a girl in Bollywood films.
Baby Kusum is a cute little child star. In reality, Baby Kusum is a boy masquerading as a girl. He was christened Jerry but known as Master Jai once he entered the limelight of Bollywood movies.
Jerry shared a turbulent relationship with his mother from an early age. Never educated in school, Jerry became illiterate and a drug addict during his teenage years. Always playing female roles in movies, Jerry now longs to be the hero of the film industry.
As Jerry reaches his teens, he starts having dreams involving a stunning woman by the name of Nandini (Bipasha), bringing another turmoil to his growing up life.
Nandini is the fantasy woman Jerry conjures up in his head. She is the phantom who taunts him and fights with him.
Soon Jerry is made to face the camera again but this time as a young man. Whether he can adjust to his newly found role forms the crux of this unusual but very interesting film.
Pankh (meaning wings) is a thought provoking film highlighting the common practice in Indian film industry of casting children in role contrary to their natural genders. The movie belongs to art house movies.
Bipasha Basu plays a dark, glamorous, imaginary character. She confuses the mind of Jerry with regards to his real identity - he is not sure whether he's a boy, girl, a man or eunuch. That's because he used to be a famous child artiste cross-dressed by his mother during his childhood years.
Famous model Maradona Rebello makes his Bollywood debut as young Jerry in this movie directed by Sudipto Chattopadhyaya.
Previewed by Manish Gajjar
BBC Bollywood Correspondent
