It's hard to describe Heaven on Earth in one word or one sentence, and it's even more complicated to explain what it is about in one sentence. It has many aspects of our modern life which are touched so realistically and brilliantly by Deepa Mehta that few words could not describe them well enough. People mistakenly think the film is about domestic abuse, but it's far from being just about that. It is about immigration, the hardship of people who immigrate from one country to another, from one culture to another, from a difficult world to a world that is even worse. It is about isolation, loneliness and the pain of being far from your family. It is about the terrible consequences of arranged marriages. And of course, domestic violence, which is the main aspect that carries the narrative forward and sets the foundation for a spectacular psychological drama.
All these elements are thrown upon the main protagonist of this picture, Chand. A vibrant and lovely girl, she flies to Canada to marry a man she has never met. Ironaically, while people would predict a brighter, better life for a person who immigrates from India to Canada, we soon learn that Chand's new family lives a poor, miserable lifestyle. The family comprises seven members, all of whom live in a two-bedroom flat. The striking portrayal of the life of immigrants in the suburbs of Toronto is precisely realistic. What's more, Chand finds herself becoming a brutally battered and abused wife who bears the brunt of her husband, Rocky's frustration. The harrowing scenes showing Rocky's cruel nature as he beats her, reveal Chand in full pain and fear and are just terrible to watch. It's easy to hate Rocky, but the film shows him to be no less a victim of his circumstances, of all the responsibility thrown upon him, and above all of his rotten upbringing and cultural mindset.
In the midst of a meticulously directed quality piece by Deepa Mehta, with extraordinary cinematography (both black-and-white and colour) and some breathtaking shots, we get to know better Chand. She is a wonderful and among the most profoundly well-written characters. While she might represent all the women-immigrants, all the abused women who are aware of domestic violence being common practice in their culture, it's great to see that in such a world there can be a woman who is so optimistic and positive. She suffers, she is helpless, she misses her mother and her country, she is desperate at the thought that she will have to live the rest of her life with a bunch of monsters, yet she never really loses her sense of life. She does not blame anyone, she does not hate anyone, she turns her difficulties into strengths, she turns her fears into valours by using her imagination. She creates an alternative world that is better, and lives it. She creates a "Heaven on Earth".
Deepa Mehta intelligently incorporates magical realism into this extremist story, and it is fascinating. Every time Chand is maltreated by her husband, she starts quietly reciting beautiful poetic monologues, which efficiently illustrate her loneliness and yearning to see her mother and get back home. When she's alone, she imagines a better life where she is a beloved woman and wife, escaping the cruel reality but little knowing that all of it is surreal. This is a wonderful glimpse into a person's mind. I must note the artistic decision to turn these scenes black and white, making it symbolic of the film's meaning. The mythology-driven sequences involving the snake may be confusing and unclear, but I greatly appreciated the idea that every viewer is free to interpret them just the way they want to. Here "the power of the imagination" (which could be an equally suitable title for the film) receives double-meaning. The audience is given an opportunity to experience the same kind of confusion that Chand herself goes through.
Preity Zinta, in one of the finest performances of her career, is nothing short of spectacular as the struggling Chand. Heartfelt, nuanced, haunting and heartbreaking, this portrayal is pulled off without a single false note. This role is contrary to Zinta's own image of a strong woman of substance, as well as most of her on-screen roles. And she inhabits it so thoroughly that it's almost impossible to believe it is the same woman who played so many happy-go-lucky characters in previous years. She conveys helplessness, fear, despair, and at the same time a certain hope for a better day, with amazing subtlety, depth and pathos. Much of it is internal actually, and all you need to know is in her eyes. Just note the scene when she is looking through the bus window. There's so much pain in her eyes. It's just one bit of a really great performance. That she is supported by a host of talented character actors, all of whom do a fine job in their unlikable parts, only helps.
Heaven on Earth is an extraordinary, deep and intelligent piece, with a commentary on the social structure of today's world. Mehta's presentation of the issue is very measured, it's never one-sided or biased and she doesn't judge her characters. There are no bad or good people in this film, most of them in one way or the other are all victims of their social environment. I loved this concept, I appreciated the well-written dialogues, the twists and the unexpected proceedings. The film is brilliantly directed and edited. Of course, it is definitely not for everyone, Hindi film viewers might find it slow and even tedious. Those who will understand its meaning are likely to forgive the difficult movie experience. I personally consider it a greatly meaningful and rewarding social film which celebrates the resilience of the human spirit, showing people who can maintain full optimism despite their sad reality and, even if it's challenging, change it altogether.
