First reviews of The Disciple are positive. (Photo: PR Handout)

The first reviews of Court director Chaitanya Tamhane’s latest film The Disciple are out. The film has been executive produced by none other than Alfonso Cuaron, the Mexican filmmaker responsible for movies like Gravity, Roma, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and others.

The official synopsis of The Disciple reads, “Sharad Nerulkar has devoted his life to becoming an Indian classical music vocalist, diligently following the traditions and discipline of old masters, his guru, and his father. But as years go by, Sharad starts to wonder whether it is really possible to achieve the excellence he is striving for. A journey of devotion, passion, and searching for the absolute in contemporary Mumbai.”

In an interview with Indianexpress.com, Chaitanya Tamhane had described the film as, “It is a journey of an Indian classical vocalist who has been raised by his father and inculcated into this music. He has grown up on these stories of masters of the past, the secret knowledge and the intimidating, complex art form that they are trying to perfect. The kind of values that vocalists grow up on. But he is also trying to navigate a practical, real life.”

Also Read | The Disciple director Chaitanya Tamhane: Alfonso Cuaron helped me find my voice

The Disciple recently premiered at the 77th edition of the Venice Film Festival to a positive response.

IndieWire’s Eric Kohn wrote in his review, “With each quiet moment enlivened by another stirring raga, The Disciple charts one man’s quest toward humility in a society that has been defined by self-reflection for millennia. Sharad meditates throughout the movie, but the enigma of his thought process hovers as a question mark throughout. From the first scene until its closing moments, the movie hints at a big moment that never quite arrives, but the profundity comes with the big picture. The Disciple is more about the journey than the destination, with a conclusion that suggests the student never really becomes the teacher when the subject is his own life.”

Variety’s Jay Weissberg noted, “As he did with Court, Tamhane patiently constructs his characters out of small details, relying on his audience to pick up on small changes and muted shifts of tone that signal the passage of time and Sharad’s interior journey. It’s hard to imagine the film succeeding so well without lead actor Modak’s quiet concentration (not to mention vocal skills), capturing his character’s all-consuming hunger while generally projecting a never-dull placidity. For all its specificity, grounded in Khayal music, the film’s universality lies in the way it conveys the inner struggles of a musician aware he or she may never be good enough, just like an artist, dancer or writer plagued by fears of mediocrity.”

Screen International’s Wendy Ide opined, “The immersive approach to the somewhat ascetic world of Indian classical music, and the sheer volume of performance footage, means that The Disciple is not likely to match the broad appeal of Nair’s film, nor the awards-haul of Court. Still, the picture’s dedication when it comes to fully exploring the mythology, spirituality and indignity of its world should draw a niche audience at further festivals; the presence of Alfonso Cuaron’s name as an Executive Producer will do no harm to the film’s prospects with potential distributors.”

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