the blue umbrella - a review of the movie

Never judge a book by it’s movie. Or a movie by the book from which it’s adapted.
That's a folly to watch out for ! There are brilliant books made into brilliant movies, there are not-so-brilliant books made out into brilliant movies and then, there are the third types : brilliant books wasted by being made into not-so-brilliant movies.
The blue umbrella falls into the third category. Unfortunately.

I first read the book when I was 13. it was a sort of a literary treat for me, all the more so because it came from the desk of my favourite author, Ruskin Bond. It’s a simple story set in a small village in the garhwal hills. A heartwarming tale of a girl, her innocent fondess for a beautiful umbrella, her sense-of-loss when she loses it, and the efforts she takes to recover it, written in a simple, yet touching style which is a trademark of Ruskin bond.

So, when I heard of vishal bharadwaj’s adaptation, it kicked up excitement in me. I have been a Ruskin bond fan for as long as I can remember. His stories like “the hidden pool”, “room on the roof”, “grandfather’s private zoo” have etched permanently into my memory, sometimes tricking me into believing that they are true memories of things which happened to someone close to me. I am sure, thousands of children spanning generations have grown up reading his books, and to them his stories are not just stories, but a nostalgia laden journey down the memory lane to those beautiful dream lands that their imaginations conjured up for them many years ago.
I feel that way about “ the blue umbrella” .
A simple story, but one that makes you smile. One that lingers in the recesses of your mind long after you put down the book.
Needless to say, I was eager to watch the movie, eager to find out how vishal manages to capture the magic in the story. For it’s not just a simple story.


I caught the movie when it was premiered at the mussoorie international writers festival. The audience included several writers, journalists, poets and also sitting with them were Ruskin Bond and Vishal Bhardwaj himself. The movie ran for 90 minutes( with the last 30 minutes itself seeming like 90 minutes) and when it ended, it left me cold… I could hear a celebrity writer next to me murmur – “ I can’t believe it’s the same guy who made omkara!!!”

It was a strange mix of feelings –
elation at watching it in a premier screening, much before it’s released for the junta. what with Ruskin bond and vishal bhardwaj watching with us!!
and the disappointment at the raw deal that was dished out.


The usual Q&A followed with people asking the usual questions –
why did you chose “the blue umbrella” for your movie?
how was the experience of making this movie?
blah blah blah??
with the usual answers –
blah, blah and
more blah…