Paa has its moments and some really nice ones at that and the film does bring that heart warming smile to your face quite a few times. But ultimately the parts are unable to add up to the whole and you do leave the theatre with a feeling of not bad, but if only...

The film does have enough going for it. It has a gentle nice feel and works best when it focuses on Auro. Auro is extremely likeable, makes you take to him and care about him and his vulnerabilities. The various relationships that he shares with others, be it his mother, grandmother, best friend or even his father, are worked out nicely and at times remind you of moments in your own life. The dialogue in a lot of places is witty and sparkles even if there are times you question whether a 12 year old would talk like that. The film is largely refreshingly free of melodrama or self-pity and that is what gives Paa its strength.

But for all its pluses, the inconsistent and overtly simplistic screenplay lets the film down. The politics angle, the redevelopment subplot, fails big time, doesn’t gel properly with the human element of the story and in fact, takes away from the film. In terms of characterisation, Abhishek’s character just seems to be one dimensional and too good to be true. His whole track of politics needn’t be a dirty word with him being this young, new age politician who is also a cool dude might be fine in term of conception but is too naively idealistic a thought and executed klutzily. In fact, the film falters whenever Auro is not the focus or when it does venture into melodrama territory and one does feel a lack of total directorial control here. The flashback of Abhishek Bachchan and Vidya Balan comes off as little more than a hurriedly put-together brief fling rather than a developing love story, while their reconciliation is clumsily done and seems contrived only for that ‘bitter sweet ending.’ The climax in the hospital is just too filmy and reeks of emotional manipulation of the worst sort. And for Vidya to understand her feelings through a 12 year old girl talking philosophically about right and wrong, well...

In terms of performances, Amitabh Bachchan simply astounds you with his act as Auro. Take him out and there’s no film. He simply dwarfs over everyone else and is spot on with his wisecracks or doing the monkey dance or sulking in his room when he’s hurt. Just look at his body language, his voice, his walk. He is simply brilliant. Yes, there are moments when you do question yourself whether a 12 or 13 year would behave like that or talk like that, but there’s no doubt he holds the film together. Abhishek is efficient enough and little more in a sketchy role, Vidya Balan has her moments though she’s not quite there in her highly strung emotional scenes like the one with her mother, Arundhati Naag, who is endearing enough but Paresh Rawal is wasted.

Technically, the film is shot in a neat and clean manner. In terms of Auro’s look, one has to salute the make-up department. Music Maestro Ilayaraja’s music flows with the film with the songs being composed nicely enough but short of being truly memorable and you do feel that the background score is a little more manipulative than it should have been. The songs pictursations are so-so.

All in all, Paa has its pluses and should be watched for Amitabh Bachchan alone but overall, the film stops well short of ‘being there.’