The Disciple Review: An Engaging Take on Art!

The photograph depicted in this poster is an amalgamation of two complex scenes into one – Guruji is performing to respect Maai, an almost mythical practitioner of Hindustani Music of whom Guruji has been a disciple, at a stage in his life when his craft is in constant battle with his aged body.

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Sharad Nerulkar, a disciple of Guruji, and the protagonist of this Bildungsroman are supporting him with all his intent and talent but (from a scene early in the film) is disturbed by the flack he gets from him for an imperfect vocal rendition and (from the ongoing scene) is worried about his teacher’s ailments.

Chaitanya Tamhane, 34, in his second feature film, The Disciple, pays respect to art, artists, their pursuit for perfection, and the frustration of not attaining the elusive pinnacle. He is serious, humble, hurt, observant, and careful to the extent of obsession to depict what art means to a serious artist. Later in the film, we see Sharad observe another classical musician’s rise to fame and fall from grace in one of the umpteen Indian-Idol-isque TV shows, and an unsaid satisfaction lingers in the scene.

Is his struggle for the purest form of music better than of those who display their music for fame and money? A character says with unflinching honesty ‘Which artist doesn’t want an audience?’ The question then is of ‘want’ and ‘need’ – does a writer need the readers or does she want the readers? Maai (voiced by the late Sumitra Bhave) tells in one of her speeches, which Sharad listens with meditative attention as he rides his motorcycle across the roads of Mumbai, that she does not sing for the audience or for the patrons but for her Guru and God.

Sharad immerses completely in his identity as a disciple, trying hard to not become like his father who could not perfect the art, and shares a relationship with Guruji that goes beyond that of a teacher and a student – he takes him to doctors, applies ointment to his paining legs, washes him, and makes his life a little easier by being a son, a true disciple.

However, as we follow him from his early twenties to his forties, we see him angry, dejected, disappointed, and finally accepting of the fact that he is not perfect, that he cannot rise above being a disciple without ever feeling a sense of failure.

Beautifully shot and directed, The Disciple is not entertaining. You should not watch it for the story. You should watch it for a highly accomplished artist’s no-nonsense narrative on another artist’s mediocre but fulfilling life. Chaitanya embodies the lessons of Maai and does not need an audience. But does he want one? I’m not sure. Watch ‘The Disciple’ on Netflix here.

Rating – 4/5 | Grade – A

Review by Shishir Chaudhary
Follow Shishir on Instagram – @shishir_reader