Ohh My Dog Review:
If you ever have had the good fortune of having a dog, you know the biggest scare is the house’s main door left ajar. This writer has been a dog parent in the past and is familiar with the turmoil of standing in the street and screaming out, searching for your missing friend. It is thus more heartbreaking to witness Appu (Mahi Rai), one of the young protagonists of Ohh My Dog, suffer through the same fate. His indie, Momo, ran out to fetch a ball but didn’t make it back.
Writer and director: Amit Rai
Cast: Mahi Rai, Pankaj Tripathi, Pavan Malhotra and Geeta Agrawal Sharma
But this is not only a mystery of a missing dog but also of a missing human. While Appu and Momo’s story is based in Assam, in their eastern neighbour state Bihar, a young labourer, Prince, is nowhere to be found. His loyal companion, a Teri Meherbaniyan-coded stray Oscar, thus turns into a dog detective, sniffing his way to his human’s kidnappers. Director Amit Rai’s film proceeds like a children’s mystery tale, shaped in the mould of a Satyajit Ray short story (the maestro also makes an appearance in the form of a portrait at Appu’s house).
The movie seamlessly intercuts between Assam and Bihar, between Appu and Oscar’s sleuthing adventures. Appu’s Momo might have been abducted by the dog-meat mafia and the Rubik’s cube fiddling young boy deduces the identity of the kidnappers by stitching together clues like a treat packet, an online payment transaction and a CCTV clip. The boy can seem unbelievably genius at times, outsmarting shady cops who are hand-in-glove with the dog-trafficking racket. But you still go along with the movie logic because Appu’s quest to find his friend has deep emotional resonance. Although, I personally enjoyed Oscar’s journey more. The latter’s story explores themes which go deeper than the man-animal bond. Oscar’s human Prince comes from a marginalized background and when his helpless father discovers that his son might have been kidnapped by organ-traffickers he only has one question: “Can a person survive on one kidney?” After receiving an answer in the affirmative, he sighs with relief, not anxious anymore to find his child. For the poor of our country, surviving alone is a favourable deal.
Shot on location, Ohh My Dog is raw and immersive. The cinematography by Máté Herbai is inventive and evocative. A shot of Oscar howling against the backdrop of a full moon is straight out of a graphic novel. It's like the dog is gathering strength by invoking the spirit of his predatory ancestors. In another lunar aesthetic, there is a beautiful shot of Oscar sitting on a circular, abandoned ground and the scene transitioning into the white sphere of the moon. Editor Suvir Nath’s cuts are smart. It is enjoyable to see how the film dexterously intercuts between Oscar and Appu’s storylines. I was amazed by the dog choreography showcased in the film. From his pleading eyes to his gum-revealing snaps, Oscar is a full-fledged lead character and his performance is worthy of his name.
Although led by a dog and a kid, the film also has Pankaj Tripathi and Pavan Malhotra in supporting roles. The latter plays a Punjabi RTO with entertaining irritability. Pankaj, on the other hand, plays a teacher who is aiding Prince’s friends in finding him. His role though is minimal and a rerun of the subtly comic characters he is known for essaying. Child actor Mahi Rai gives a front-footed, assuring performance.
On a plot level, Ohh My Dog can feel a bit convenient at times. One dog’s howl for help can’t really gather an army of strays. It’s tough to believe a child can have Sherlock-sharp detective skills. But the film hooks you with its emotions. You root for the characters. You want Appu to reunite with Momo, you want Oscar to rescue his Prince. Most policemen in the film are either incompetent or shady. Certain scenes invoke a feeling of disdain for humans. Amongst a species which knowingly destroys its own habitat, which ones can be trusted? A lesson, a sliver of hope from one of the bleakest shows, Paatal Lok, surfaces: “If a man loves a dog, he is a good man. If a dog loves a man, he is a good man.” For a dog, the anadrome isn’t accidental.
