Seema Sinha (BOMBAY TIMES; March 25, 2014)

The international media is calling his film Jal “a breathtakingly photographed tragedy of Shakespearean proportions”, but director Girish Malik prefers to define it as a masala entertainer. He elaborates, “The film has all the spices that form a typical Hindi film. It has quirky fun moments, high-octane action drama and a beautiful romance leading up to a shocking climax.”

 Set in the Rann of Kutch, the film is about a water diviner (played by Purab Kohli), who tries to solve the drought problems in his village, but faces unforeseen circumstances when he tries to help a female ornithologist save flamingoes. The film, distributed by DAR Film Distributors, was screened at various film festivals. Of the film’s journey, Girish says, “I have tried to talk about a very relevant global issue through my film without being preachy. I want to reach the masses.”

 Adds the director, “I have travelled across almost the entire world in the last five years and am a keen observer. To make a film like Jal, you need to be a hippie at heart and enjoy the moment and the challenges it throws.”

 Jal, produced by OneWorld Film, releases April 4.