The Song Of Scorpions film – Two women, Zubeida (Rehman) and Nooran (Farahani) are the healers who can treat those bitten by the scorpions by singing to them in a fabled universe located in the picturesque but unsettling Thar desert. When Aadam (Irrfan) develops feelings for Nooran, he is prepared to go to great lengths to win her over. Extremism is the poison that fate injects into these people’s lives.
Movie Details:
Language: Hindi.
Available On: In Theatres Near You.
Runtime: 199 Minutes.
Star Cast: Irrfan Khan, Golshifteh Farahani, Waheeda Rehman, Shashank Arora, Tillotama Shome, Sara Arjun, and Ensemble.
Director: Anup Singh
The Song Of Scorpions film review:
Anup Singh is a writer who follows in the footsteps of modern masters like Satyajit Ray and Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda (Shoplifters). Their cinema goes far beyond what is immediately apparent. Different people may have different metaphors and viewpoints. It’s almost like starting a karmic dialogue regarding struggles in life. A conflict between genders, the concept of being a man, and what it means to be a woman living that image, was depicted in his most recent film, Qissa, which also starred the angelic Irrfan. Singh aims to explore toxic love in a way no one could have imagined with his latest and, regrettably, final work with the actor.
The Song Of Scorpions film, is a movie by Anup himself, finds its essence in the music it employs to treat not just the person wounded by the scorpion but also the audience. Less is known about the mythical antidote that a figurative scorpion is eyeing in order to sting the poison of suffering in the healer’s life. Singh transports his audience to a desolate desert, where the sand not only engulfs everything in its path but also gives people’s life a sense of directionlessness in more ways than one.
Storyline:
The purpose of this is to convey a love tale, not in a flowery manner where everything is lovely at the end. Before it starts to sound overly philosophical. Instead, it is a catastrophic tale of two fractured individuals whose mending involves the bad one’s true colours coming to the surface. Setting up the environment takes some time in The Song Of The Scorpion, but it is worth the wait because it contributes to the plot in ways other than just being eerily beautiful.
Due to their mysterious abilities, two women are introduced who are venerated by a village. A man here dies after getting stung in just 24 hours, but if they sing to him, he will survive. Anup does not go above and above to convince the viewers of their abilities. Because he leaves you with no choice but to suspend your disbelief, it’s actually the best part. His stellar cast takes care of the rest. When he finally succeeds in doing so, he plunges his story into the abyss without any help.
The Song Of Scorpions film actually starts to take shape at this point. A lady is now forced to navigate through a catastrophe that will change her life in order to find herself again because what initially appears to be the situation’s saviour is actually the blame. She managed to bring some poison into her own life while removing it from many others. In the film, the metaphors are more complex. Scorpion’s poison kills gradually, just like Nooran’s poison does. Is she likely to exact revenge? Does she allow them to leave without interfering? Will she discover herself? These are the inquiries that only that ticket can respond to.
Screenplay:
Anup creates a highly intriguing climax that combines literal and metaphorical poison by employing the healer to sing to both, but he abandons that trajectory far too soon. Perhaps a more subdued resolution rather than an entirely open one would have been more effective. We are heartbroken to say that we will no longer be able to see Irrfan Khan on a large screen. The chameleon mythology requires confirmation in order to practise this trade. In his role as Aadam, he spends the majority of the first half watching in silence, yet he succeeds in making his presence known with those expressive eyes. You are aware of how he handles transitions, which his character must go through. Khan the actor is barely visible and instead melts into the background.
Golshifteh Farahani demonstrates why people praise her. Nooran’s actor is outstanding. Playing a role so different from oneself and that too directly opposite Irrfan is not an easy task. The actor fits in so seamlessly with her surroundings that she is hardly identifiable. Her body and attitude are both flawless. The only time it falters is during the dubbing when a little of her accent does come through. Zubeida, played by the famous Waheeda Rehman, is excellent. Watching her in every frame is pure joy and a testament to what Indian cinema’s golden age has cultivated, but I am not qualified to judge an actor of her calibre and position.
Direction:
The script is entirely under the director’s hands of Anup Singh. One look at his work reveals how thoroughly he comprehends his environment and considers issues outside of his frame, giving the entire set of his film a three-dimensional appearance. It is admirable how he depicts human interactions, their intricacies, and dynamics by framing and positioning people and objects. He uses cold starry nights and aimless sand dunes all the time, which is lovely.
Pietro Zuercher, DOP, advances Anup’s vision. The Song Of Scorpions uses a similar colour palette to Qissa, but the setting is now a desert instead of muted earth tones with touches of black. Art direction by Mayur Mulam, production design by Rajesh Yadav, and costume design by Divya and Nidhi Gambhir are all authentic and nearly flawless.
Final Verdict:
If not for the original score by Beatrice Thiriet and those priceless songs by Madan Gopal Singh, The Song Of Scorpions would have been a disappointing experience. They do not articulate the vibe they produce; it can only be felt. This piece’s composition and music could serve as a strong model in music education.
So, this was all about The Song Of Scorpions film review. Click here to read the Mrs Undercover film review.
