Tahaan gives you hope that there does indeed exist a sensibility in Indian cinema that goes beyond the otherwise mundane star-driven films that are being churned out week after week. This charming, heart-warming fable of a little Kashmiri boy's efforts to get his donkey back is a simple story well told.

The strength of the film is its simplicity and restraint. Striving for the human feel of Iranian cinema, the film is refreshingly understated and free of melodrama even in the most dramatic of situations.  The film beautifully captures the smaller moments and it is these that make up the film be it Tahaan playing with the sunbeam trying to catch it or him getting the donkey to walk when Subhan is unable to.

The great Maurice Chevalier once said that he was always scared of acting with children and animals as they steal every scene they are in. Sure enough, Purav Bhandare as Tahaan is the life and soul of the film. Utterly natural and captivating, he is Tahaan, not striking a single false note anywhere. He is more than ably supported by Anupam Kher (well utilized after a long time), Sarika (playing her part with much grace and dignity), Sana Sheikh and Rasika Dugal. Victor Banerjee, too, makes a fine impact in just the few minutes he has on screen. The characters appear real and the film deftly mixes shots of the locals with those of the actors. However, the one performer who sticks out like a sore thumb in the film is Rahul Bose who is totally miscast. 

On the techncial side, the film is superbly photographed by Santosh Sivan even though at times you do feel Santosh Sivan the cameraman overrides Santosh Sivan the filmmaker at the cost of the narrative flow. The film brilliantly captures the winter landscape of Kashmir, taking your breath away at the natural beauty of the locations. Special mention must also be made of the fine sound design. For once, you feel a filmmaker understands the proper role of sound in a film. The film beautifully uses little sounds and ambient effects mixed with some extremely judicial use of an evocative background score, thereby rendering it all the more effective.

That is not to say the film is without flaws. The screenplay needed a little more focus and the film fails to gel the political issues with the simple fable. Admittedly, Sivan's aim is in showing you the events through the eyes of the eight year old Tahaan but since these are real serious issues, you do feel they are addressed in too simple and superficial a manner, at times making the film even appear politically naive. The final rounding up is also much too pat, easy and convenient. The pace  of the film is uneven and tends to flag at places.

All in all, Tahaan is a fine effort and deserves to be watched.