Don’t Tear Down This Wall
3 Walls (3 Deewarein) (2003): 7 out of 10: My first reaction was that Indian prisons are really nice. Honestly, I went to a couple of sleep away camps in my youth and suffered more hardships than these prisoners. Sure, the prison has sexual assault, loss of freedom and death, but I am definitely sticking to my analogy.
This is my first real Bollywood film, and since there are no musical numbers or dancing or romance, I think the film isn’t typical. This is a straightforward human drama with very good dialogue and a twisted adult story.
The film concerns three prisoners who are scheduled to hang. One is angry and proclaims his innocence, one refuses to accept guilt for his crime, and the last is so racked with the guilt he cannot wait for the noose to be drawn. Into their lives comes a female filmmaker with some baggage of her own.
The movie is about the four characters’ interactions and how justice is eventually done, despite long odds and corruption. While you may have some Shawshank Redemption flashbacks during the film, the movie really has its own story and feel. The acting is good across the board and the production values are excellent. This would be a well-made film in any nation.