Ohh My Dog review: Amit Rai's paw-some hero steals the show in this emotional ride
Amit Rai's Ohh My Dog turns a missing pet and missing owner into parallel rescue journeys led by a scene-stealing dog. Even when the film runs long and leans on stereotypes, its heart and Oscar's star turn keep the emotion alive.
There comes a moment in Ohh My Dog when our hero stands in front of nearly 20 men armed with weapons. The odds are stacked against him, the villains are ready, and you wait for the camera to reveal the brave man taking them all on. Except, when it pans, there is no man standing there. There is a dog. And just like that, director Amit Rai gives Hindi cinema a charming new alpha hero: Oscar.
The canine doesn't just play saviour; he pretty much takes charge of the film, carrying its emotions and entertainment through its two-and-a-half-hour runtime. There are newcomers who make their debuts and struggle to leave an impact. Oscar walks in on four paws and owns the screen.
Ohh My Dog opens on an emotional note, with a police team burying Senapati, a brave dog they remember fondly. Amid the praise is also regret about taking her away from her puppies, and the question of how they survived without their mother.
Cut to her two sons, Oscar and Momo, now separated and living completely different lives in Bihar and Assam. Momo has found a loving home, where young Apu (Maahi Rai) and his family dote on him. Oscar lives with Prince (Nikhil Kumar), a labourer at a construction site, who barely has enough to survive himself. Yet, there is never a shortage of love for his dog. It's a beautiful little reminder that care has very little to do with how much money you have.
Their lives turn upside down when Momo is kidnapped, and Prince goes missing. And here comes the film's most interesting hook: on one side is a child searching for his pet, and on the other is a pet searching for his human.
The two stories run parallel, taking us into some uncomfortable spaces. The film touches upon dogs being kidnapped for meat, child labour and poor workers being duped into selling their kidneys, sometimes without even receiving the promised money. Some of these moments hit you straight in the gut.
There's also a commentary on what happens when corruption seeps into those entrusted with upholding the law. And inevitably, it is those without power who suffer first: the poor, children and animals, the ones who often don't have the means, or quite literally the voice, to fight back. Thankfully, Ohh My Dog doesn't stay grim. There is plenty of warmth and fun in the search. Apu's tuition teacher joins his mission to find Momo, while the village master, played by Pankaj Tripathi, takes charge of finding Prince.
Oscar following his owner's scent, picking up clues and eventually tracking the kidnappers, makes for some of the film's most delightful portions. You know you are watching a trained dog perform, but Oscar's expressions and instincts often make you forget that. He is ridiculously charming, alpha when needed, and surprisingly capable of carrying large stretches of the film.
Amit Rai's son Maahi, making his debut as Apu (a nod to Satyajit Ray and his films), is equally confident. Apu is a tech genius who understands gadgets better than most adults and even manages to outsmart police officers. But in trying to establish him as exceptionally intelligent, the writing sometimes makes him come across as bratty and unnecessarily disrespectful.
The film also falls into some avoidable stereotypes. A Bengali woman doesn't always need to wear a red-and-white saree, sport a giant bindi and speak exaggerated Hindi. Similarly, Pavan Malhotra's officer is so consistently loud that after a point, you almost want to cover your ears. Yes, his character carries personal angst, but the volume could certainly have been turned down.
Rajesh Kumar, however, is fabulous as the Bihari police officer. His accent, personality and body language fit seamlessly into the film's world. Many supporting actors also seem rooted in the locations, lending the story a welcome rawness. Pankaj Tripathi does what he does best, bringing warmth and sincerity. Ironically, he sometimes looks almost too polished for this world, especially amid faces and surroundings that feel so lived-in.
Where Ohh My Dog really loses its bite is in its length. The chase goes around in circles for far too long, and a tighter script or sharper editing would have made the adventure more thrilling. The music isn't memorable either, with the background score doing most of the work. There are shades of Chillar Party, another film where children fought for a dog, but Ohh My Dog takes that idea forward with its parallel journeys.
Perhaps the film's biggest victory, though, was visible inside the theatre. Every time Oscar pulled off something heroic, the audience erupted in cheers and applause. For animal lovers, especially dog people, there are enough moments to leave you teary-eyed one minute and smiling the next.
Ohh My Dog is stretched, occasionally stereotypical and not without its flaws. But it also has its heart firmly in the right place. And if Amit Rai wanted to give us a new charming four-legged hero, Oscar has certainly arrived with his tail held high.
There comes a moment in Ohh My Dog when our hero stands in front of nearly 20 men armed with weapons. The odds are stacked against him, the villains are ready, and you wait for the camera to reveal the brave man taking them all on. Except, when it pans, there is no man standing there. There is a dog. And just like that, director Amit Rai gives Hindi cinema a charming new alpha hero: Oscar.
The canine doesn't just play saviour; he pretty much takes charge of the film, carrying its emotions and entertainment through its two-and-a-half-hour runtime. There are newcomers who make their debuts and struggle to leave an impact. Oscar walks in on four paws and owns the screen.
Ohh My Dog opens on an emotional note, with a police team burying Senapati, a brave dog they remember fondly. Amid the praise is also regret about taking her away from her puppies, and the question of how they survived without their mother.
Cut to her two sons, Oscar and Momo, now separated and living completely different lives in Bihar and Assam. Momo has found a loving home, where young Apu (Maahi Rai) and his family dote on him. Oscar lives with Prince (Nikhil Kumar), a labourer at a construction site, who barely has enough to survive himself. Yet, there is never a shortage of love for his dog. It's a beautiful little reminder that care has very little to do with how much money you have.
Their lives turn upside down when Momo is kidnapped, and Prince goes missing. And here comes the film's most interesting hook: on one side is a child searching for his pet, and on the other is a pet searching for his human.
The two stories run parallel, taking us into some uncomfortable spaces. The film touches upon dogs being kidnapped for meat, child labour and poor workers being duped into selling their kidneys, sometimes without even receiving the promised money. Some of these moments hit you straight in the gut.
There's also a commentary on what happens when corruption seeps into those entrusted with upholding the law. And inevitably, it is those without power who suffer first: the poor, children and animals, the ones who often don't have the means, or quite literally the voice, to fight back. Thankfully, Ohh My Dog doesn't stay grim. There is plenty of warmth and fun in the search. Apu's tuition teacher joins his mission to find Momo, while the village master, played by Pankaj Tripathi, takes charge of finding Prince.
Oscar following his owner's scent, picking up clues and eventually tracking the kidnappers, makes for some of the film's most delightful portions. You know you are watching a trained dog perform, but Oscar's expressions and instincts often make you forget that. He is ridiculously charming, alpha when needed, and surprisingly capable of carrying large stretches of the film.
Amit Rai's son Maahi, making his debut as Apu (a nod to Satyajit Ray and his films), is equally confident. Apu is a tech genius who understands gadgets better than most adults and even manages to outsmart police officers. But in trying to establish him as exceptionally intelligent, the writing sometimes makes him come across as bratty and unnecessarily disrespectful.
The film also falls into some avoidable stereotypes. A Bengali woman doesn't always need to wear a red-and-white saree, sport a giant bindi and speak exaggerated Hindi. Similarly, Pavan Malhotra's officer is so consistently loud that after a point, you almost want to cover your ears. Yes, his character carries personal angst, but the volume could certainly have been turned down.
Rajesh Kumar, however, is fabulous as the Bihari police officer. His accent, personality and body language fit seamlessly into the film's world. Many supporting actors also seem rooted in the locations, lending the story a welcome rawness. Pankaj Tripathi does what he does best, bringing warmth and sincerity. Ironically, he sometimes looks almost too polished for this world, especially amid faces and surroundings that feel so lived-in.
Where Ohh My Dog really loses its bite is in its length. The chase goes around in circles for far too long, and a tighter script or sharper editing would have made the adventure more thrilling. The music isn't memorable either, with the background score doing most of the work. There are shades of Chillar Party, another film where children fought for a dog, but Ohh My Dog takes that idea forward with its parallel journeys.
Perhaps the film's biggest victory, though, was visible inside the theatre. Every time Oscar pulled off something heroic, the audience erupted in cheers and applause. For animal lovers, especially dog people, there are enough moments to leave you teary-eyed one minute and smiling the next.
Ohh My Dog is stretched, occasionally stereotypical and not without its flaws. But it also has its heart firmly in the right place. And if Amit Rai wanted to give us a new charming four-legged hero, Oscar has certainly arrived with his tail held high.
There comes a moment in Ohh My Dog when our hero stands in front of nearly 20 men armed with weapons. The odds are stacked against him, the villains are ready, and you wait for the camera to reveal the brave man taking them all on. Except, when it pans, there is no man standing there. There is a dog. And just like that, director Amit Rai gives Hindi cinema a charming new alpha hero: Oscar.
The canine doesn't just play saviour; he pretty much takes charge of the film, carrying its emotions and entertainment through its two-and-a-half-hour runtime. There are newcomers who make their debuts and struggle to leave an impact. Oscar walks in on four paws and owns the screen.
Ohh My Dog opens on an emotional note, with a police team burying Senapati, a brave dog they remember fondly. Amid the praise is also regret about taking her away from her puppies, and the question of how they survived without their mother.
Cut to her two sons, Oscar and Momo, now separated and living completely different lives in Bihar and Assam. Momo has found a loving home, where young Apu (Maahi Rai) and his family dote on him. Oscar lives with Prince (Nikhil Kumar), a labourer at a construction site, who barely has enough to survive himself. Yet, there is never a shortage of love for his dog. It's a beautiful little reminder that care has very little to do with how much money you have.
Their lives turn upside down when Momo is kidnapped, and Prince goes missing. And here comes the film's most interesting hook: on one side is a child searching for his pet, and on the other is a pet searching for his human.
The two stories run parallel, taking us into some uncomfortable spaces. The film touches upon dogs being kidnapped for meat, child labour and poor workers being duped into selling their kidneys, sometimes without even receiving the promised money. Some of these moments hit you straight in the gut.
There's also a commentary on what happens when corruption seeps into those entrusted with upholding the law. And inevitably, it is those without power who suffer first: the poor, children and animals, the ones who often don't have the means, or quite literally the voice, to fight back. Thankfully, Ohh My Dog doesn't stay grim. There is plenty of warmth and fun in the search. Apu's tuition teacher joins his mission to find Momo, while the village master, played by Pankaj Tripathi, takes charge of finding Prince.
Oscar following his owner's scent, picking up clues and eventually tracking the kidnappers, makes for some of the film's most delightful portions. You know you are watching a trained dog perform, but Oscar's expressions and instincts often make you forget that. He is ridiculously charming, alpha when needed, and surprisingly capable of carrying large stretches of the film.
Amit Rai's son Maahi, making his debut as Apu (a nod to Satyajit Ray and his films), is equally confident. Apu is a tech genius who understands gadgets better than most adults and even manages to outsmart police officers. But in trying to establish him as exceptionally intelligent, the writing sometimes makes him come across as bratty and unnecessarily disrespectful.
The film also falls into some avoidable stereotypes. A Bengali woman doesn't always need to wear a red-and-white saree, sport a giant bindi and speak exaggerated Hindi. Similarly, Pavan Malhotra's officer is so consistently loud that after a point, you almost want to cover your ears. Yes, his character carries personal angst, but the volume could certainly have been turned down.
Rajesh Kumar, however, is fabulous as the Bihari police officer. His accent, personality and body language fit seamlessly into the film's world. Many supporting actors also seem rooted in the locations, lending the story a welcome rawness. Pankaj Tripathi does what he does best, bringing warmth and sincerity. Ironically, he sometimes looks almost too polished for this world, especially amid faces and surroundings that feel so lived-in.
Where Ohh My Dog really loses its bite is in its length. The chase goes around in circles for far too long, and a tighter script or sharper editing would have made the adventure more thrilling. The music isn't memorable either, with the background score doing most of the work. There are shades of Chillar Party, another film where children fought for a dog, but Ohh My Dog takes that idea forward with its parallel journeys.
Perhaps the film's biggest victory, though, was visible inside the theatre. Every time Oscar pulled off something heroic, the audience erupted in cheers and applause. For animal lovers, especially dog people, there are enough moments to leave you teary-eyed one minute and smiling the next.
Ohh My Dog is stretched, occasionally stereotypical and not without its flaws. But it also has its heart firmly in the right place. And if Amit Rai wanted to give us a new charming four-legged hero, Oscar has certainly arrived with his tail held high.
