The Spectacular Life of Pie

Movie: Life of Pie

Cast: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Adil Hussain

Rating: ****

Love, Life, Beauty, Courage, Determination, perseverance and above all hope are the various flavours of this masterpiece.

Never lose hope and you will be able to sail through this journey called Life.

The Movie is based on the Booker Prize Winning Novel Life of Pie and it does complete justice to his wonderful Book by Yan Martel. The story starts by introducing Pi Patel (Suraj Sharma), his mother (Tabu), father (Adil Hussain) and their Zoo. He and his family decide to move to Canada with their zoo animal when their ship sinks and Pi ends up in a Life boat with a zebra, hyena, orang-utan and Richard Parker, the magnificent Royal Bengal Tiger. The film takes us through his journey for survival in the Sea with Richard Parker.

The Movie brings out the essence of the book in a manner much more beautiful than you imagine. It teaches us a lesson in life to never give up. The relationship between a man and a beast is shown so delicately. And Richard Parker will win your heart. There are certain scenes in the movie like Richard Parker’s elegant walk in his entry scene, the blue whale jumping in the night sky and Richard Parker walking away in the jungle, just take your breath away.

Ang Lee is a real hero to be able to bring this book into life in such a superb way. Tabu appears for a few minutes but is at her best and so is Adil Hussain. He is a talent to watch out for in the future. Irrfan Khan could’ve done away with the accent but he steals the show in the end with his superb acting skills. Suraj Sharma is very decent for a new comer. The makeup artist deserves a mention for making Pi look so believable throughout. This Movie has scored full marks with its 3D, special effects and enticing sceneries throughout.

I just hoped Lee wouldn’t have gone soft with the brutal scenes to avoid an ‘A’ Certificate. The scenes could have emphasized on the emotional quotient of the movie to a greater extent. Maybe a little more of additional description on his survival could’ve helped.

The hero of the film for me was definitely Richard Parker, right from his magnificent walk to his deadly growl. Life of Pie is a spectacle and a complete treat to your eyes. Don’t miss this emotional and alluring journey of Pi Patel.