STORY: The story revolves around the lives of Nirmal Anand (Karanveer Khullar), an anti-diabetic drug salesman, and his Christian wife Sarah (Gillian Pinto). But, two back-to-back events—Nirmal getting diagnosed with diabetes and the death of his dog (Parie)—have a profound impact on this close-knit family, causing them to react in unexpected ways.
REVIEW: Set in Mumbai, ‘Nirmal Anand Ki Puppy’ delves into the complexities that lie beneath the mundaneness of Nirmal and Sarah’s daily lives. As the film acknowledges, Nirmal is the more observant of the two, and his anxieties are highlighted right away in the opening scenes. As a parent, Nirmal is perplexed as to why his daughter is playing with a boy rather than other girls in the neighbourhood, and as the husband, he refuses to let his archivist wife work full-time because he is concerned about who will look after their children. In many ways, he is stereotypical, but that is who he is.
Given that Nirmal works as a regional manager for a pharmaceutical company that sells anti-diabetic drugs, being diagnosed with diabetes had a particularly negative impact on him. While coping with the situation and the death of his dog, he makes a significant career shift that alters the dynamics of his personal and professional lives. Will Nirmal and Sarah’s puppy love blossom despite their numerous hardships, or will they be crushed by them?
Written and directed by an independent filmmaker Sandeep Mohan, this drama focusses heavily on the couple’s dynamics— their grief, love, respect for each other, happiness, compromises and pursuing one’s dreams. The film’s shooting locations are mostly indoors, which are intended to serve the protagonists’ larger issues by making viewers feel more connected to the characters.
The screenplay moves at a slow pace, and certain passages are repeated, especially when Nirmal aspires to be an actor and employs method acting techniques to improvise his understanding of a taxi driver’s life. A lot of time is spent developing the couple’s attachment to their pet (Parie), yet she is only used as a prop when there was ample scope existed to explore her part further in the premise. Despite these flaws, it reflects the life of an ordinary man in a fairly simple manner, making it both credible and interesting. The cinematography isn’t flashy; instead, it’s grounded and realistic, lending an organic feel to the film.
As Nirmal, Karanveer Khullar gives a decent performance. He disappears inside his character, and his expressions and body language reveal what he’s going through. Gillian Pinto is a delight to watch on-screen. She effortlessly conveys the emotions of a mother, a responsible wife, and a working woman.
‘Nirmal Anand Ki Puppy’ depicts the monotony of Mumbaikars as well as the modern-day relationships that require equal amount of contribution and compromise from both parties. Overall, this film will undoubtedly touch your heart due to its simple approach and high emotional quotient.
