A novel plot, excellent cinematography and indeed a thoughtful make up makes the Indian film Makdee a good fun to watch. A nice directorial debut of Vishal Bharadwaj, Makdee stands out as a rare children`s film. Makdee is the story of a witch who supposedly turns children into animals if they stray into her villa. The village is abuzz with stories about children who walked into the witch`s lair and never returned.

Synopsis of `Makdee`
The story revolves around Chunni and Munni, two twin sisters living in a village where all is peaceful. Munni is innocent and takes life as it comes whereas Chunni is clever, challenging and is just opposite to Munni. Being a look-alike of her twin, Chunni played by Shweta prasad is in the habit of impersonating as Munni to fool the villagers.

In that village a mansion is there, which the villagers believe is frequented by a wicked witch called Makdee played by Shabana Azmi. Legend, stories and beliefs lace the mansion and the villagers believes that the witch changes completely the nature or the appearance of anyone who ventures into the mansion into an animal form. The village schoolteacher scoffs this legend as a mere superstition of the villagers.

One day Chunni lets loose the hens of the village butcher Kallu (Makrand Deshpande). Angry Kallu sets out to `straighten` the notorious girl. Kallu chases Chunni and is able to corner her at last. It is then when Chunni plays her customary trick. She impersonates as Munni and redirects Kallu to chase Munni instead. A confused Kallu sets out in Munni`s direction. Seeing the village butcher coming for her a terrified Munni runs into the village mansion haunted by Makdee.

When Chunni comes to know that her sister has gone into the mansion feared by all, she in order to help out her sister runs from house to house seeking help. However no one believed because of her habit of lying. Ultimately, Chunni gathers the courage to go into the mansion all by herself. Once inside, Chunni is confronted by the haunting scene inside all including spider`s webs, dark passages and bloodstained creatures creeping about the place. She almost faints when she confronts the witch Makdee. But it is already too late. The wicked witch has transformed Munni into a hen.

Chunni pleads Makdee to let her sister go. However pleading was of no help. Finally the witch yields and strikes a deal with Chunni and the deal is, Chunni must get her 100 hens in return for her sister. Having no other option left, Chunni is now faced with the biggest challenge of her life i.e. collecting 100 hens for the witch, in return for her sister, without the villagers ever getting to know of it.

The little motherless child is confused and is burdened with a mammoth task. She has to hide the fact that Munni is missing. Quite ideally therefore she plays the role of Chunni as well as Munni to her father and grandmother. She even studies a lot to get good rank as Munni. In this way Chunni is able to hide fact from the entire village that the hen that is a new entry into the household actually her dear sister Munni.

But Chunni gathers courage and does not fulfill the wishes of the witch. She one day discloses the secret of the witch & is able to rescue all those who were considered to be transformed into animals. The witch actually wants to take the jewellery hidden in the palace and when her fraud comes to light she becomes violent. Lastly after much fight with the witch the villagers win and Chunni unites with her sister Munni.

Cast and Crew of `Makdee`
The star cast of the film `Makdee` includes Shabana Azmi, Makrand Deshpande, Sweta Prasad, and Alaap Mazgaonkar. The music and direction is given by Vishal Bharadwaj while cinematography is done by Hemant Chaturvedi. The film `Makdee` is produced by Percept Picture Company.

Awards for `Makdee`
The Bollywood movie `Makdee` won many awards in different award giving ceremonies. The film won the second prize at the Chicago International Children`s Film Festival. The central character Shweta Prasad won the Indian National Film Award for Best Child Artist for 2003 for her role in the film.