A Winter Tale at Shimla Movie Review: A tried-and-tested template bogged down by glaring errors

In order for art to remain relevant in current times, it must either adapt to existing trends or evoke a universal emotional response. If a film fails to meet either of these criteria, it is stuck in a state of limbo. A Winter Tale at Shimla is, unfortunately, one such film.

Director: Yogesh Varma

Cast: Gauri Pradhan Tejwani, Indraneil Sengupta, Deepraj Rana, Rituraj Singh

A Winter Tale at Shimla starts with Chintan Kapoor meeting with an accident during a morning walk. In a flashback, we come to know that Chintan has recently settled in Shimla and works as a teacher in an organisation established by his friend Naveen. During an event at the institution, Chintan meets his former lover Vaidehi and learns she is the mother of one of his students. Later the duo starts enjoying each other's company and find solace. Believing this to be an affair, Vaidehi's husband, Udhay, is riled up. In the present, this accident leads to multiple plot points that involve a kidnap, political influence, and a lot more but doesn't always keep us engaged.

A sense of romance is abundant in the narrative. However, amateurish filmmaking confines a lot of these ideas with shackles. In fact, the film oscillates between the treatment of a typical Indian soap opera and a Greek tragedy unfolding on stage.

Among the many dilemmas in the film, one of the primary issues is definitely the title itself. When there is a specific geography pinpointed in the title, one can rest assured that the location will play an important part in the narrative. However, the prominence of the city is hardly evident. From Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay to the colossal hit KGF, we have seen the importance of geography and the weightage a location gives the film. This blatant disregard for the city is one of the many shortcomings in the writing.

Even as the narrative grapples for fresh air, the film's technical aspects too don't fare any better. From inconsistent editing to a haphazard screenplay, A Winter Tale at Shimla needed a lot more finesse. Despite beautiful visuals in the background, the cinematography doesn't do justice to the location. The background score doesn't aid the film and only pulls it down by a few notches by using template sounds that are often seen in reaction shots in television serials. Less said about the songs and their placement, the better.

Amid all the shortcomings, points to Indraneil Sengupta and Gauri Pradhan for delivering performances that try to salvage the film. With all the talk about eternal love, and a romance that stands the test of time, it is clear that A Winters Tale at Shimla does have a warm heart at its core. Maybe the film could have explored these facets a bit more to deliver the love it had in abundance.