Director: Revathi
Vishal Jethwa plays the role of Venkatesh Krishnan or Venky. Kajol is Venky’s mother, Sujata, while Rajeev Khandelwal portrays Dr Shekhar, who was doing Venky’s treatment. Rahul Bose is seen as a lawyer, Aahana Kumra as a reporter, and the other side cast. Aamir Khan plays a small role in the movie. He is seen as a shadow of Sujata’s mind to whom she talks.
Plot
The story begins with Sujata’s son Venky in a hospital, struggling between life and death. Venky, who suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), wants his last wish fulfilled, whereas her mother denies agreeing, although, in the second part of the story, she agrees. This movie revolves around the fact that Sujata tries hard to save his son and Venky, whose last wish is to be euthanized and to donate his organs to the needy. Ultimately, the story is about Venky’s fighters’ fight to get the law of euthanasia granted, where they file a writ and, with the help of the media, stand firm with Venky. The story switches between the present and the past, explaining Venky’s life and his mother, who stands with him.
Analysis
Venky, a 24-year-old old brave, intelligent, thoughtful, and lovable kid suffering from DMD, is seen as strong enough to face his death. From early childhood, he played chess and was a brilliant kid who won several awards. He learns sign language and makes Sujata learn it, too, so that when he loses his ability to speak or move (which he accepted soon), he can communicate with his mother. Even though Venky is a lovable kid, getting attention from everyone in the movie- family, friends, relatives, and even the hospital staff- he uses dark jokes to sustain his condition. He even shouts at his mother because she denies accepting his last wish.
Sujata as a mother, has stood firm with her son since his childhood even though his father calls him a ‘dead investment’ and gives a divorce to Sujata. Sujata is an emotional but brave mother who is not letting her son die and later even accepts his last wish of euthanasia. The night he becomes critical, counting on his last breath, but later regains senses.
The side casts are well chosen and reflect their character with fantastic performance. That of Lawyer Parveez, who, even though he knew that the court might not even consider the writ he is about to file, accepts Sujata’s plea and tries hard to help her. Dr Shekhar, who was treating Venky for a long time, was seen as friendly to him, and they both kept pulling each other’s leg.
In a scene when Nandu (Venky’s childhood friend and the girl whom he loves) is about to leave his room, Venky starts repeating palat, palat, palat. Dr Shekhar asks him whether he ever confessed his love to her and if he already knows that she loves him, why he keeps saying it. Venky replies that it’s good to keep checking, and the room fills with laughter.
In a nutshell
Salaam Venky is a soft but tragic and sensitive real-life based story, where the director has tried her best to convey the exact meaning of it. It can make you cry with its emotional touch and the mother’s pain as depicted in it. It is a story of love, care, a broken home, tragic life, a fight for euthanasia, and of course, a courageous child living with a single wish in mind.
