The ‘Road To Reform’ critic review is here. The movie as mentioned earlier in our feature is a unique humanitarian initiative by IPS Rajeev Dasot – IPS, Director General of Prisons, Rajasthan. Road to Reform is written & directed by Limca book of records fame filmmaker Sanjeev Sharma under the banner of Ronkel Bros. Production.
Road to Reform was released online on Youtube on 17th June by Hon’ble Chief Minister Rajasthan Shri Ashok Gehlot.
Road to Reform Movie Review
Road to Reform – This one-hour short step in cinema is a big-hearted leap for humanity, acceptance and concern by the law for the convicted outlaws.
Writer director Sanjeev Sharma adapts the simplest and realistic approach in telling the story of two real life prisoners Manisha Gurjar (Seema) and Surendra (Dinkar), how they recover / change to a responsible and honest citizen thanks to the welfare, improvement and rehabilitation schemes of the Government.
The realism in story telling by Sanjeev Sharma is extremely effective in changing the cliché outlook of the people in general about jail, jailors, prisoners and officers.
Normally in mainstream cinema, the criminal is shown as a hated evil and the jail authorities especially the jailors as a strict / mean / khadoos disciplinarian. If they are not terrifying then they are comic.
Here is Road To Reform, Sanjeev Sharma treats them as they are and should be – as humans. The jailor speaks nicely to the jail inmates and the jail inmates are feeling genuinely guilty for their crimes.
The genuine concern of the jail authority is depicted convincingly by the filmmaker, the viewer will be emotionally involved with the proceedings right from the word go.
Sanjeev Sharma takes proper care to ensure that the movie doesn’t end up as a promotional campaign and we are introduced to the tough thorny road ahead for the reformed prisoners who have completed their sentence.
Surendra (Dinkar) faces rejection in spite of his good conduct in jail and other achievements during his term. The now honest Dinkar when shares his past about his five years jail term gets rejected in job interviews even after making a good impression.
This clearly highlights the stigma amongst the people in general about people who come out from their jail sentence. Such stigma becomes a hurdle for people like Dinkar who are honest and genuinely want to lead a good life with right virtues.
Yes, there will be some rotten eggs forever who will never improve / change and end up doing the same mistake and landing in jail again and again. But isn’t humanity about letting go of the past and willing to change to make a difference?.
Sanjeev Sharma highlights the need to change in Road To Reform in a touching and convincing manner that will be remembered for its humanitarian cause.
The story of Manisha Gurjar (Seema) comes as a metaphor of hope, future and development of this Road to Reform which will face potholes similar to what Dinkar is facing but ultimately humanity will win.
Shot on actual locations, Road To Reform is based on Jaipur Jail and I was delighted to see peacocks wandering in the Jail premises. In one of the scene Seema is feeding those peacocks and a flash back of those mobs fighting, torture, unlawful activities inside jail seen earlier on celluloid worldwide made a splash to threaten the impact of what I am seeing but the peacock image got registered and brought a smile to this author.
The performance of Manisha Gurjar and Surendra is convincing. Considering the fact that they have been prisoners in real life and non-actors, it’s an achievement.
IPS Rajeev Dasot – IPS, Director General of Prisons, Rajasthan appears in a cameo and adds value.
Final words
Road to Reform is a cinematic alchemy of very different kinds. It’s a historic achievement where the cast of the movie are either real life prisoners or Jail staff. The unique humanitarian initiative by IPS Rajeev Dasot – IPS, Director General of Prisons, Rajasthan is propelled by Sanjeev Sharma’s genuinely heartfelt and ‘real’ ode to humanity that echoes the true sentiments of welfare, improvement and rehabilitation schemes.
Kudos to Rajeev Dasot – IPS, Director General of Prisons, Rajasthan Prison, Sanjeev Sharma, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Rajasthan Shri Ashok Gehlot, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt Of India, additional Director General of Police Malini Agarwal, Inspector General of Police Alok Vashisht, Inspector General of Prisons Vikram Singh Karnavat, Deputy Inspector General Prison Monica Agarwal, Superintendent (Jail) Rakesh Mohan Sharma along with the officials of Central Jail, Road To Reform is not just a cinema, its beyond.
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