A devastating secret becomes the point of conflict between a father and son. Nithin Swaminathan, played by `Bombay’ and `Roja’ star Arvind Swamy, has got to the point that he can’t keep it in any longer ; a long road trip to drop fourteen year old Shivam ( Sharma) to his boarding school becomes the vehicle of this revelation.
Dear Dad is a stirring tale about love and acceptance . It takes guts for the father of a teenaged boy to come out of the closet. And even more, to profess the truth to him. The kid, who fancies looking at adult magazines and has a crush on a girl from the neighbouring school, is shattered when he discovers why his parents are getting a divorce. Director Tanuj Bhramar whips up a charming story that effectively beats the stigma of homosexuality. He paints a poignant tale filled with warmth and some genuine sweet moments.
Despite the right intent, the film isn’t without flaws. The shocking revelation is made early on in the film and from then the director holds our attention by showing the picturesque view of hills, an absolutely unnecessary sequence involving a Bangali Baba ki booti and some inefficacious conversations between the father and the son. The problem lies in the fact that the writing never evokes curiosity. How does Nitin’s wife deal with the secret is never explored. Neither do we figure how Shivam and Nitin magically iron out their differences.
But Tanuj makes you fall for it nevertheless. He says his story simply, with a lot of heart. Arvind Swamy’s effortless screen presence redeems the faults to a great extent. Even when fumbles with Steven Davies’ name to tell Shivam or when he explains to his son that he doesn’t find all men attractive, he is first rate. You will be particularly amused in the scene where an acquaintance tries to zip himself up in Nitin’s company and he quips, ‘Don’t worry. You aren’t my type!’ Himanshu does a good job but his meltdown doesn’t have a strong-enough impact.
Dear Dad deserves a watch simply for the profound point it makes about accepting people for who they are and loving them unconditionally.
source:timesofindia