We may not know Dr Ramani at first, but by the end, we get a clearer sense of his nobility. For a biopic, that's a job done well, notes Mayur Sanap.
A young boy dives into the ocean for a swim.
When he returns to the shore, he spots a lifeless, skeletal fish.
He studies its spine intently. Is it simple curiosity or the first spark of passion?
Years later, this curiosity about bones transforms into a lifelong pursuit, and the early spark evolves into destiny.
The boy is the protagonist of this Marathi biopic Tath Kana (meaning strong backbone), which tells the real life story of Dr Premanand Ramani, a highly skilled neurosurgeon who has been an inspiration to many.
As most biopics go, this is a very intimate story. But for a biopic about a doctor, you might wonder what makes this story so special.
One of Dr Ramani's patients, overwhelmed by the surgeon's skill and gratitude for getting a new lease on life, chose to honour him by making a film on his journey. He serves as the film's producer.
In that sense, the title works on two levels: It's not just a medical term, but also a metaphor for strength of a person's character. Ramani, as the film showcases, was a doctor so deeply connected to his patients that he became their friend, their support system, their extended family.
Director Girish Mohite presents the film on an intimate level as the film opens in the small village in Goa where we first Dr Ramani as an adolescent.
A very committed Umesh Kamat plays Dr Ramani, as the film traces his journey from early education and an MBBS degree to a doctorate at the Newcastle University Medical School in the UK, where he specialised in neurosurgery.
It then follows his return to India, his tenure at the Goa Medical College in the early 1970s, and his eventual move to Bombay to advance his practice.
Alongside his professional milestones, the narrative also weaves in his romance with childhood sweetheart Sulbha, who later becomes his wife (Deepti Devi).
There's no attempt to turn him into a heroic figure in a filmi manner; rather it simply shows genuine interest in his life journey and the real people around him, presenting it with complete sincerity.
The film carries a tonal similarity to another Marathi biopic Dr Prakash Baba Amte: The Real Hero, based on the Magsaysay ward-winning humanitarian Dr Prakash Amte.
In a fascinating coincidence, Dr Ramani was the surgeon who performed spinal surgery on Prakash Amte's legendary father, Baba Amte.
There's a fair amount of dramatisation, especially through a parallel track involving a young patient (Suyog Gorhe) who is about to marry his ladylove (Sayali Sanjeev) but becomes completely bedridden due to a spinal condition.
His uncertain fate forms the emotional climax of the film, as we watch Dr Ramani operate on him while battling his own medical complications at that point.
At one point, we see Dr Ramani buying an expensive antibiotic with his own money because the government hospital cannot provide it.
The film hints at his financial struggles, but doesn't delve deeper, which feels like a missed opportunity to add another layer to his character.
As his wife, Deepti Devi is wonderfully expressive, but you wish the role offered more than the one-dimensional 'loving wife' arc.
The film isn't without technical hiccups as some of the graphics could certainly have been sharper. But the film's sincere storytelling more than makes up for it.
We see Dr Ramani's lifelong fascination with the spine, which finally finds fulfilment when he gets his hands on a specimen for the first time.
'Marvelous. What a beautiful creation,' he utters, looking completely captivated.
The film highlights his innovations in neurosurgery, including his disc removal method, known as the PLIF Ramani Technique.
One memorable scene shows how inspiration struck him while watching a gardener mending a broken plant, a simple observation that inspired a groundbreaking technique.
The defining moment in the film and in Dr Ramani's life comes from his childhood.
A young Ramani tells his mother that he wants to become God, having just heard a priest say that 'God can do everything.'
Her answer gently nudges his conscience, steering him toward a greater purpose: 'The world is short of good men. Be that.'
As viewers, we may not know Dr Ramani at first, but by the end, we get a clearer sense of his nobility.
For a biopic, that's a job done well.
Tath Kana Review Rediff Rating: 
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