Movie Review : Dear Dad

Dear Dad is a bittersweet coming of age story; involving a father-son duo – 14 year old Shivam, and his 45 year old dad Nitin Swaminathan. The father-son duo embarks on an impromptu road trip from their home, in Delhi, to Mussorie (Uttarakhand), where Shivam attends boarding school. Unexpected confessions, weird strangers, accidental meetings, a drunken escapade and singing in the rain – all these add up to a complicated and sweet tale.

There are a few moments between father and son which feel as if something real is going on – resentment and anger have a way of boiling up to the surface in strange ways between parents and children. But the rest of it is clunky and contrived, and the sudden switch between moods—from dad being foe to friend—feels too hurried. 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.

But Tanuj makes you fall for it nevertheless. He says his story simply, with a lot of heart.

Dear Dad is a must watch!