Movie Name - Road
Directed by - Dev Benegal
Starring - Abhay Deol, Satish Kaushik, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Mohammed Faisal Usmani

Vishnu , a restless young man, itches to escape his father"s faltering hair oil business. An old truck beckons, which Vishnu sees as his ticket to freedom. As he sets off across the harsh terrain of desert India, he discovers he"s not merely transporting a battered vehicle, but an old touring cinema.

Along the way, Vishnu reluctantly picks up a young runaway , a wandering old entertainer and a gypsy woman . Together they roam in the barren land, searching for water and an elusive fair. The journey turns dire when they are waylaid by corrupt cops and a notorious water lord.

ROAD, MOVIE starts off very well, but loses focus midway. Abhay"s interaction with the kid and also Satish Kaushik is thoroughly enjoyable. But as the story unfolds, the movie loses its grip and starts going in circles. The plot works till Abhay and Satish screen the movie for the cop, but the portions thereafter aren"t engaging, except for a sequence or two in between.

The portions depicting the fair leaves you confused. Was it for real or a dream sequence? Also, the sequence with the water mafia is absurd. This sequence - when Abhay trades off water for hair oil - doesn"t gel well with the mood of the film. Even the romantic track between Abhay and Tannishtha looks far from convincing. The finale too lacks clarity and the remix version of "Tel Maalish" is hardly there.

Director Dev Benegal seems to have concentrated more on visuals than narrating a gripping story. Frankly, the story is so fragile that it"s difficult to hold your attention in those 90 odd minutes. The screenplay is bland and what makes it worse is the fact that the plot unravels at a lethargic pace. Dialogues are well worded at places.

Abhay Deol is a complete natural and this film proves it yet again. Satish Kaushik is first-rate. Mohammed Faizal Usmani impresses. Tannishtha Chatterjee does well. Yashpal Sharma is wasted. Virendra Saxena is efficient.

Verdict:ROAD, MOVIE is more for the festival circuit and some connoisseurs of art house cinema, who may savour it. That"s about it!