The Song of Scorpions review: Irrfan Khan's last film on big screens yet again proves that he was the 'ART'

3.5/5

Even as I write this three years later, I still find it hard to accept that the talented actor Irrfan Khan is no longer with us. I recall writing, "Legendary actor Irrfan Khan is no more," as soon as I opened my eyes on April 29, 2020. Even though I've never actually met him, I still felt a sense of personal loss. This great artist was able to make us all believe in his characters to the point where we all naively believed that we knew him personally.

In honour of the anniversary of Irrfan Khan's passing on April 29, Anup Singh's The Song of Scorpions is being released in India after nearly five years of international film festival screenings.

Story:

The narrative takes place in a small village in Rajasthan where singing a song is the most effective remedy for a scorpion bite. The two females that excel in their jobs are Nooran (Golshifteh Farahani) and her grandma Zubaida (Waheeda Rehman). However, one day Nooran's life completely ceases as a result of a traumatic event happening to her, and she settles she will never sing again. Then comes the marriage proposal from a Camel merchant Aadam (Irrfan Khan), who is madly in love with Nooran. He marries her and makes an effort to heal her of the trauma she is going through. But the story takes another turn, and in order to find out what it is, you will need to watch the movie. 

Review:

The entire movie showcase the stunning Rajasthan. Your eyes will be glued to the screens since the settings are so gorgeous and calm. The film's selling point is the picturesque Rajasthan of the mornings and the tranquil, starry nights of the evenings. Anup Singh took great care to portray the setting as one of the primary characters in the movie. 

In the movie, Irrfan Khan plays the camel trader. It is still difficult to accept that he is no longer with us because his powerful performance is so beautifully portrayed. His personality is straightforward but yet overly complex. No one could have performed it more expertly than the talented actor.

Nooran is portrayed in the movie by Iranian-French actress Golshifteh Farahani. Everything seems put together, including her makeup and attire. She portrays the film's most moving parts, which are also its most amazing scenes, and she does so with a superb performance. 

Watching Waheeda Rehman as Nooran's grandma Zubaida on the big screen after such a long time is a treat to our sore eyes.

As Irrfan's friend, Shashank Arora plays his part well.

The Song Of Scorpions features plenty of background music and songs that are expertly placed, and none of them get old on you like some musical dramas can. The filmmakers were able to make this a beautiful and tragic movie at the same time with impeccable timing. The cinematography by Pietro Zuercher and Carlotta Holy-Steinemann is astounding. One of my favourite shots from the movie is the opening one where we only see Irrfan Khan's face and the vast desert in the background.

Verdict:

What better reason to watch it in theatres than IRRFAN KHAN!