Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Six years after production originally began, Deepa Mehta finally sees Water, the third installment in her elements trilogy, make it onto screen. Undeterred by death threats from Hindu fundamentalists and her sets being burned to the ground, the gutsy filmmaker crafts a subtle study of the mistreatment of widows in pre-independence India. Centering on Chuya, a seven-year-old widow, whose presence galvanizes the co-habitants of a widow's ashram, this drama is worthy of attention.

Dumped in the holy city of Varanasi, Chuya (Sarala) is informed by her father that it is her fate to live the rest of her life by the banks of the River Ganges. In 1930s India, even widows as ridiculously young as her are expected to survive in poverty and pay penance for the deaths of their husbands. When Chuya questions her plight, she is met with disdain from all except the devout Shakuntala (Seema Biswas) and Kalyani (Lisa Ray), a beautiful young widow who is pimped out to local gentry to earn income for the house. While the former doesn't question her position in society, the latter dares to embrace the love of an idealistic lawyer (John Abraham), bringing consequences for all.

"LACKS AN EMOTIONAL PUNCH"

By setting Water against a backdrop of political upheaval, at a time when Gandhi is trying to free his countrymen from the British and other oppressions, Mehta adds depth to her film. The predicament of widows as an example of hidden social and religious injustice is apt. But somehow, Water fails to pack an emotional punch, despite the sensitive subject matter and strong performances. But despite lacking poignancy, Mehta's Academy Award nomination for Water may still be justified for highlighting an issue that exists even today in some parts of India.

Water is released in UK cinemas on Friday 1st June 2007.