Guy in the Sky Review: A Subtle Satire That Sparks a Dialogue

‘Guy in the Sky’. (Photo Courtesy: CinePlay)

These are strange times we live in, where the lines between our real and virtual lives grow blurrier by the minute. We live in a world where armchair critics, Facebook crusaders and the revolution-seeking “azaadi” brigade exist side-by-side. It is this ‘perfect disharmony’ that Bikas Mishra’s Guy in the Sky manages to capture beautifully.

In the vast ocean of opinions and policies, individual ideologies float like icebergs, where no one knows what lies beneath the surface. We’re told that opposites attract, but how important is it to marry a person who shares your political leanings? Can love and loyalty be measured on a Facebook ‘Like’ or ‘Share’?

Stills from the ‘Guy in the Sky’. (Photo Courtesy: CinePlay)

Guy in the Sky, the latest from award-winning filmmaker Mishra, was released on Hotstar on 13 June. The adaptation of Kannada playwright CS Kambar’s 1983 play Harakeya Kuri is a satirical take on the present day political dispensation and the zealousness with which we fight for or against it.

Our focal point remains a living room of a modern-day Indian couple. The principal characters are the husband, the wife, and an intruder. The fourth character is a nameless, faceless Netaji, who hijacks every conversation and kickstarts the most animated of discussions.

Still from the ‘Guy In The Sky’ (Photo Courtesy: CinePlay)

Like him or hate him, but you can’t ignore him – the “outside” constantly intrudes into this intimate setting, sometimes in the form of a steady thrum of sloganeering from the procession with gibberish like “A B C D E F G NETA JI NETA JI, 2 G 3G 4 G NETA JI NETA JI,” and at other times through the soliloquy-like outbursts from the various characters.

Each of the three characters paints a different view of Netaji.

Still from the ‘Guy In The Sky’ (Photo Courtesy: CinePlay)

Guy in the Sky boasts incisive writing on the present political climate. There are also moments when the joke is on us, the viewers – the bhakts and the compulsive cynics alike. The play questions our misplaced, unquenchable thirst for a bloody revolution, it pokes fun at the smugness that lies behind making a hashtag trend on social media (#netajishameshame).

The parody is effective as it is carried on the able shoulders of solid performers like Tannishtha Chatterjee, Maanvi Gagroo and Sunny Hinduja. 

The fact that the digital arena allows creative vision to thrive without the shackles of the sanskaari scissors of censorship is reason enough to cheer. Guy in the Sky will hopefully help us reflect and meditate on our current state. This subtle satire may not evoke laughter, but it will definitely spark a dialogue. This makes Guy in the Sky an interesting watch.

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