Lion – The heartwarming movie Lion, helmed by Garth Davis, is based on the actual tale of Saroo Brierley, a little Indian child who becomes lost and sets out on an incredible adventure to find his biological family 25 years later. The movie, which is based on Brierley’s autobiography A Long Way Home, masterfully depicts the issues of identity, belonging, and the acute sense of loss that may accompany relocation.
In the film’s opening scene, Sunny Pawar’s five-year-old Saroo is shown as an inquisitive and animated child from a destitute Indian hamlet. When Saroo unintentionally boards a train that transports him hundreds of kilometers to Calcutta, he finds himself abandoned and alone in a busy and sometimes hazardous metropolis. As he makes his way through the confusing streets, dodging obstacles and finding it difficult to converse with people who do not speak the same language as him, his survival instinct takes over.
The trip of little Saroo is the subject of the first part of the movie, and this is where Lion really shines in capturing the sensitivity of a kid who has been lost and the anguish of a family who is waiting for him to come home. With his unadulterated heart and endearing sense of innocence, Pawar’s performance is exceptional.
In the end, Saroo is taken in by Sue and John Brierley, an Australian couple portrayed by Nicole Kidman and David Wenham. Twenty-five years later, in the second part of the film, Saroo (played by Dev Patel) is growing up in Australia and living a life of opportunity and prosperity. Saroo appears to have a happy existence, but he can’t seem to get rid of the emptiness he feels and the memories of his birth family. The film’s main topic, the search for identity, is introduced by his internal turmoil.
Saroo sets out on a laborious journey to locate his ancestry and return to his native India using Google Earth. The video deftly combines memories from his early years with his quest, heightening the emotional impact of his search. Deeply moving, Patel’s portrayal of adult Saroo captures the inner agony of a man caught between two worlds, appreciative for his adoptive life but yearning to return to his roots.
In addition, Nicole Kidman gives a strong performance as Sue Brierley, whose steadfast love and support for Saroo give the narrative a deeper level of depth. One of the most moving scenes in the movie is her talk about adoption and love.
The way that India is portrayed in the film is quite impressive. Saroo’s luxurious present in Australia and his destitute background are starkly contrasted with the expansive vistas and the busy streets of Calcutta, all of which are masterfully shown. The music composed by Dustin O’Halloran and Hauschka enhances the emotional effect by creating a mood that is both eerie and upbeat.
Although Lion is a movie about a one person’s journey, it also discusses more general issues like identity, displacement, and the lasting power of family. The movie builds to a moving and intense climax that moves many to tears.
All in all, Lion is a powerful, skillfully made movie that stays with you long after the credits have rolled. No matter how far we may roam, it serves as a constant reminder of the value of family, home, and the unbreakable bonds that bind us to our origins.
