Piccolo (2023) Hindi

 Story Plot: The film is set in a small picturesque fishing village in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, it's a story about the village, its people and the local band led by Victor and Preeti. Hindu and Christian communities in this village live harmoniously together in reverential brotherhood. One day a squabble over property matter between the two group's results in differences so deep that it affects Preeti and Victor's music band and its members. When the matters escalate, the two groups decide to have a competition in the deep sea, to see which group can capture the biggest catch of fish and so two boats set out, amidst news about an impending storm in the sea. The villagers blinded by hate pay no heed to these warnings and set out, despite protests by the village women and elders. As forecasted, a heavy storm hits the village in a few hours, with heavy rains and strong winds. The departed boats do not return the next day, upon which a few more able bodied men set out to search for these fishing boats. The storm continues. The rest of the village waits eagerly for their men to come back, but no news comes for a few days, till police come to the village, telling them that a few bodies have been found 10kms away on a beach, but cannot be identified due to heavy damage by fish bites. Unfortunately the worst is confirmed, the bodies belong to the departed men of the village. Though they had been strong swimmers, they could not beat the wrath of the sea. The entire village is left orphaned in an instant. Only the young, the women and the elders, past their prime are left to pick up the pieces of the devastated village. Victor whose dream along with Preeti had always been to move to Goa with his band and perform there, let's the dream go. He decides that he will stay in his village and help out in any way that he can, he adopts Dashrath, a young orphaned boy, to care for him. He drowns his sorrows in his music and his "Piccolo" a flutelike instrument made of metal. He decides to teach Dashrath the instrument as well. We see the entire village mourn the loss of their men, who were the only source of income for the village and the hardships they face because of their passing away. And then one day an inspiration strikes Victor. A Charlie Chaplin video on YouTube, inspires him to create a different kind of music, which will make the people forget their sorrows and smile, just like Charlie Chaplin did. Victor, Preeti and the band start creating music in earnest. But they are met with heavy protest and criticism from the rest of the village, who just look at music not for the art that it is, but just a way to vile away time. But the band does not give up. Gradually the opposition from the villagers wane and we see the village gradually heal and finally get back on its feet again, we see the women of the village working now for their livelihood and it is them who finally support the band and recognize their efforts. All is right again. But destiny has different plans, Victor experiences chest pain and collapses during a party held by the village. Victor passes away and the village is left in the depths of despair once again. During the funeral, attended by the entire village, Victor's mother places his Piccolo in his grave with him. But Dashrath comes running in and removes the buried Piccolo, he tells the village that this is not what Victor would have wanted and starts playing the Piccolo. Its sound shakes Preeti out of her daze and sadness of loosing Victor. She too picks up her guitar and starts playing. Slowly the entire band joins in, their final farewell to the person who saved the entire village with his love for music. The director transports you to this small coastal village, a safe haven for the village and its fishing boats, with his beautiful visuals and music using a range of unusual instruments like the "Piccolo". You see this village die, experience their pain and hardships and then see them rise from the ashes, renewed in their belief that life always goes on and everything eventually becomes right, in this journey that is "Piccolo".