>Bovineboy2008 at 02:00, 26 September 2021

2021-09-26T02:00:26Z

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{{Short description|Bollywood film}}
{{Cleanup rewrite|date=July 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox film
| image = Ahaan The Film - Netflix Release.jpg
| caption = Film Poster
| director = Nikhil Pherwani
| screenplay = Nikhil Pherwani
| story = Nikhil Pherwani Abhishek Pherwani
| producer = Will Finds Way Films
| starring = [[Arif Zakaria]] [[Niharika Singh]] Abuli Mamaji [[Plabita Borthakur]] [[Rajit Kapur]]
| cinematography = Saket Gyani Dipankar Sikder
| editing = Jitendra Prakash Dongare Anupama Chabukswar
| music = Dhruv Dhalla
| distributor =
| released = {{film date|df=y|2019|08||Indian Film Festival of Melbourne|2021|3|15}}
| runtime = 81 minutes
| country = India
| language = {{ubl|Hindi|
English}}
}}
'''''Ahaan''''' is a 2019 Indian feel good comedy-drama film written and directed by Nikhil Pherwani. <ref>{{Cite web|title=Nikhil Pherwani's Ahaan to stream on Netflix|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/hindi/2021/may/12/nikhil-pherwanis-ahaan-to-stream-on-netflix-2301366.html|access-date=2021-05-18|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Upadhyay|first=Karishma|date=2021-05-14|title="The gaze wasn't right": director Nikhil Pherwani, of "Ahaan", on the portrayal of developmental disabilities in Indian cinema|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/director-nikhil-pherwani-on-his-latest-film-ahaan/article34555713.ece|access-date=2021-05-18|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Ahaan Review: Lead Actor Abuli Mamaji, Who Has Down Syndrome, Lends The Film Authenticity|url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/ahaan-review-lead-actor-abuli-mamaji-who-has-down-syndrome-lends-the-film-authenticity-2442191|access-date=2021-05-18|website=NDTV.com}}</ref> Starring [[Arif Zakaria]], [[Niharika Singh]], [[Plabita Borthakur]] and [[Rajit Kapur]] and produced by Will Finds Way Films, ''Ahaan'' is India's first Hindi-language film starring a Down Syndrome person in the leading role, played by newcomer Abuli Mamaji. <ref>{{Cite web|title=Ahaan’ Director Nikhil Pherwani Says He Wanted to Show What the World Doesn’t See While Portraying People With Disorders and Disabilities | url=https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/news/ahaan-director-nikhil-pherwani-says-he-wanted-to-show-what-the-world-doesnt-see-while-portraying-people-with-disorders-and-disabilities/?fbclid=IwAR2zn-cqR3-6stQGdkDyTGCJFBWzSiybMxmkKoYWbryXqWxfpDQK9RzcEMw |access-date=25 May 2021 | website=silverscreenindia.com}}</ref>

The film premiered at the 2019 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iffm.com.au/iffm2019/films.php|title=Official Selection|work=Indian Film Festival of Melbourne|access-date=25 September 2021}}</ref>

== Synopsis ==
Jilted by his wife, a man with OCD finds eye-opening common ground and camaraderie with his neighbor, a young man with Down Syndrome.

== Cast ==
* Abuli Mamaji as Ahaan
* [[Arif Zakaria]] as Ozzy
* [[Niharika Singh]] as Anu
* [[Plabita Borthakur]] as Onella
* [[Rajit Kapur]] as Psychologist
* [[Shilpa Mehta]] as Gayatri
* Kaizaad Kotwaal as Ranjit
* [[Sonali Sachdev]] as Mrs. Nair
* Haresh Raut as Hari

== Production ==

Nikhil Pherwani’s observations made him realize how differently-abled individuals were treated differently, sometimes even less than human. This made him ponder on a few things – What goes on in the life of a young adult with intellectual disability? How do their parents cope with uncertainty about their child’s future? Are they capable of leading an independent life? He went on to meet people with intellectual disabilities and their parents to understand their world better. The research gave an insight into many personal stories and this gave birth to the idea of the film. <ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-17|title=Ahaan to stream on Netflix from May 15|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ahaan-to-stream-on-netflix-from-may-15-7315051/|access-date=2021-05-14|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>

With a screenplay in hand, he set out to meet several producers. However, producing the film was usually perceived as a challenge, owing to prejudices about the commercial viability of film dealing with such subject matter. Eventually, Nikhil Pherwani and his brother Abhishek produced it themselves, under their banner ‘Will Finds Way Films’ to safeguard the artistic integrity of the project. <ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-03-26|title=Meet Nikhil Pherwani, young director who has made a path-breaking feature film on Down Syndrome|url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/meet-nikhil-pherwani-young-director-who-has-made-a-path-breaking-feature-film-on-down-syndrome|access-date=2021-05-14|website=National Herald|language=en}}</ref>

== Casting ==

Nikhil Pherwani met Abuli Mamaji at an NGO committed to the empowerment and development of intellectually disabled young adults. It was here that Mamaji told the director about his dream to be an actor. Fascinated by his statement, the director met him again from a research perspective and in the process landed up casting him for the titular role.

Pherwani said in an interview to [[Free Press Journal]] ‘If you are making a film on disability, the principal aim is to encourage inclusion. So, the best way to do that would be to encourage him to be an actor in my film. Also, in terms of representation this was the most accurate. If I had roped in an actor to play a differently-abled man he may not have been able to portray the nuances in the right manner. Somewhere down the line it wouldn’t have been true to character. Of course, one had to go through a lot of training with him. But with him you could never go wrong with things like body language and mannerisms. There was no chance of it becoming a caricature. I wanted it to be as real as possible.’ <ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-02|title='Ahaan' director Nikhil Pherwani talks about his movie, and the need for inclusive initiatives with differently-abled people|url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/ahaan-director-nikhil-pherwani-talks-his-movie-and-the-need-for-inclusive-initiatives-with-differently-abled-people | access-date=2021-05-02|website=Free Press Journal|language=en}}</ref>

== Release ==

''Ahaan'' released theatrically in [[India]] on 15 March 2021 and premiered on [[Netflix]] on 15 May 2021. <ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-14|title=Ahaan to stream on Netflix from May 15, Entertainment News,The Indian Express|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ahaan-to-stream-on-netflix-from-may-15-7315051/ | access-date=2021-05-14|website=Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>

== Critical Reception ==

''Ahaan'' was acclaimed by critics with particular praise for the direction and performances.

Sreeparna Sengupta of [[Times of India]] gave the film a rating of 3.5/5 stars and praised the film, remarking ‘Nikhil Pherwani, who has scripted and directed ''Ahaan'', infuses the film’s narrative with a warm energy, even as he brings to light the life, limitations and aspirations of a person with [[Down Syndrome]]. And to the filmmaker’s credit, he does this without getting preachy and with a lot of empathy. <ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-25|title=Ahaan Review: A heartwarming, sensitive watch|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/ahaan/ottmoviereview/82793985.cms | access-date=2021-05-25|website=Times Of India|language=en}}</ref>

Saibal Chatterjee of [[NDTV]] wrote: The director deserves a pat on the back for not casting a regular actor in the role of a character with [[Down Syndrome]]. That would have been the easy way out. But it would have been far less effective. <ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-15|title=Ahaan Review: Lead Actor Abuli Mamaji, Who Has Down Syndrome, Lends The Film Authenticit|url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/ahaan-review-lead-actor-abuli-mamaji-who-has-down-syndrome-lends-the-film-authenticity-2442191 | access-date=2021-05-15|website=NDTV|language=en}}</ref>

Udita Jhunjhunwala of [[Scroll]] wrote, ‘A well-paced, if unsubtle, narrative, ''Ahaan'' is an optimistic, feelgood film that genially works towards normalising mental development disabilities and mental health issues.’ <ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-15|title= ‘Ahaan’ review: Warmth and love in feelgood film about normalising mental health issues|url=https://scroll.in/reel/994954/ahaan-review-warmth-and-love-in-feelgood-film-about-mental-health-issues | access-date=2021-05-15|website=Scroll.in|language=en-US}}</ref>

Anna MM Vetticad of [[Firstpost]] gave it 3.5/5 stars and wrote, ‘This entertaining, insightful film is poignant precisely because it does not set out to be a tearjerker. This and the casting are what make it a landmark in Indian cinema. <ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-15|title=Ahaan movie review: Casting triumph for an endearing tale of a young man with Down’s Syndrome-Entertainment News , Firstpost|url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/ahaan-movie-review-a-casting-triumph-for-endearing-tale-of-a-young-man-with-downs-syndrome-9623111.html | access-date=2021-05-15|website= Firstpost |language=en}}</ref>

Variety recommended ''Ahaan'' in the ‘New Movies to Watch This Week’ Column by Peter Debruge, Chief Film Critic - Variety <ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-01|title=New Movies to Watch This Week: Tomorrow War, No Sudden Move - Variety|url=https://variety.com/feature/new-movies-to-watch-this-week-1234939058/ | access-date=2021-07-01|website= Variety|language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External Links ==
* {{imdb title|10833732}}
* [https://www.netflix.com/title/81438083 ''Ahaan''] on [[Netflix]]

[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Hindi-language films]]
[[Category:Hindi-language Netflix original films]]
[[Category:Down syndrome in film]]
[[Category:English-language Indian films]]

Ahaan - Revision history

>Bovineboy2008 at 02:00, 26 September 2021