Watch Mohalla Assi

Mohalla Assi is a 2015 Indian drama film directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi. The movie is based on the well-known novel "Kashi Ka Assi" by Dr. Kashinath Singh. The film stars Sunny Deol, Sakshi Tanwar, and Ravi Kishan in lead roles. The plot of the movie is centered around the life of a priest (played by Sunny Deol) who lives in Assi Ghat, a famous neighborhood in the holy city of Varanasi. The neighborhood has an animated and colorful community, which includes street-smart vendors, prostitutes, pilgrims, and a lot of narrow-minded people who are quite conservative about their beliefs.

The movie depicts the struggles of the priest as he tries to keep his faith alive in the modern era, where things are changing rapidly. Mohalla Assi has a blend of humor and drama, which makes it stand out from other Bollywood movies.

The opening scene of the film takes place in 1990, where the demolition of the disputed Babri Masjid is being shown on TV. In this scene, a man named Kanni Guru (played by Ravi Kishan) leads the mob that is cheering the destruction. Guru is a local Hindu fundamentalist who believes in the idea of "Hindu Rashtra" which means a Hindu-only nation. The character of Guru serves as a stark contrast to the priest, who is more liberal and accepting of different religions.

The movie then goes on to explore the daily life of the priest, who is portrayed as someone who is very knowledgeable about Hinduism but also has a pragmatic outlook. He has a wife (played by Sakshi Tanwar) and a daughter who live with him. Their conversations and the banter between them bring out the everyday problems that the people in the neighborhood experience.

The film shows how the priest faces a lot of challenges in modern India. He has to deal with the changing views of the tourists and the locals. The influx of tourists has led to the introduction of new cafes, yoga centers, and massage parlors, which create a conflict with the conservative worldview of the locals.

Apart from these challenges, the priest also has to deal with corrupt politicians who are trying to take advantage of his goodwill. The moneylender of the neighborhood, played by Mukesh Tiwari, is also a corrupt man who is trying to take control of the priest's land. The priest's fight against these villains forms the crux of the movie.

Mohalla Assi is a thought-provoking movie that does an excellent job of depicting the reality of life in India. The performance of the actors is commendable, and they bring their characters to life with effortless ease. The cinematography of the film is also noteworthy, as it captures the essence of Varanasi and its diverse people.

The film also shows the caste barriers that exist in India. The priest, who belongs to an upper caste, faces discrimination from lower-caste people, who are not allowed to enter his temple. This demonstrates the deep-rooted societal problems that the country has to face.

In conclusion, Mohalla Assi is a perfect blend of humor and drama, which makes it a must-watch movie. It offers an insightful glimpse into the lives of people in the holy city of Varanasi, and it portrays the challenges faced by a priest trying to keep faith alive in modern times. The performances of the actors, the cinematography, and the direction all come together to make this a memorable film.

Mohalla Assi is a 2018 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 30 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.6.