The Common Man Speaks

Timepass (Marathi Movie) Review

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Director: Ravi Jadhav

Producer: Ravi Jadhav

Cast: Prathamesh Parab, Ketaki Mategaonkar, Vaibhav Mangale, Bhalchandra Kadam

Music: Chinar-Mahesh

Genre: Romance/ Comedy

Rating: * *

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Dagadu (Prathamesh Parab) is thrown out of the house by his angry father after he fails in the 10th standard yet again. To support himself, he becomes a newspaper boy. Meanwhile, his friends urge him to get a girlfriend as they believe such ‘time pass’ is a must in life. Just then, Dagadu’s eyes fall on the innocent Prajakta (Ketaki Mategaonkar) and he falls head over heels for her. But Prajakta’s father hates Dagadu to the core after an ugly encounter with him. Will Dagadu succeed in the very first love story of his life?

Review: The two main characters in Ravi Jadhav’s Timepass are just repeated from two successful films – the guy from his own Balak Palak and the girl from Sujay Dahake’s Shala. One won’t mind this if the film turns out to be enjoyable. And surely, there is hilarity aplenty in Timepass.

But the basic aim of every movie is to tell a story and this is where it falters. In the end, it turns out to be just a poor remake of Shala. This comes as an unpleasant surprise since there are high expectations from the film, which is seen from the tremendous opening it has taken in the first weekend.

The high point of Timepass is obviously the character Dagdu and his crazy antics, born out of his funny act and witty dialogues. As he goes about trying to win Prajakta’s heart, the audience is treated to a laugh-riot, especially in the first half. Dagadu’s scenes with his friends and Prajakta’s cuteness at various occasions also deserve special mention.

But in the post-interval portions, Dagdu’s antics start becoming too repetitive. This is felt more because there isn’t any major development in the story. Later on, an illogical self-destructive incident involving a character (not possible to reveal much) just takes away much of your interest. Even if we ignore that moment, the pre-climax and climax don’t satisfy. You just feel watching Shala or Balak Palak again is a much better option.

From Chinar-Mahesh’s music, ‘Fulpakharu’ and ‘Mala Ved Laagle’ are impressive tracks. The camerawork and background score suit the subject perfectly. The editor should have used his scissors more. The length of 142 minutes is too high for the film. A dream sequence between the lead pair should have surely been shortened.

Although Prathamesh Parab and Ketaki Mategaonkar repeat their performances from Balak Palak and Shala, it is a joy to see them perform. Parab is once again very impressive as Dagdu. His comic timing is superb. Mategaonkar too is notable while playing a shy character. Vaibhav Mangale is brilliant as Prajakta’s angry father! He too shines in the comic scenes.

Bhalchandra Kadam does well in the role of Dagadu’s father. Urmila Kanitkar provides good support. Although Bhushan Pradhan has a narrow screen time, he is decent as Prajakta’s brother and so are the rest of the supporting actors.

Overall: Despite a whole lot of funny moments, Timepass doesn’t rise up to the expectations. Due to the hype and a great opening, the film will succeed at the box office.

 

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Rangkarmi (Marathi Movie) Review

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Director: Sanjiv Kolte

Producers: Shashi Sumeet Motion Pictures

Writers: Sanjiv Kolte and Sumeet H. Mittal

Cast: Dr. Amol Kolhe, Mohan Joshi, Sheetal Dabholkar, Sharmishtha Raut

Music: Pravin Kunvar

Genre: Drama

Rating: * *

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Keshav (Dr. Amol Kolhe) acts in village tamashas much to the opposition of his father. This forces him to leave his house and migrate to Mumbai because acting in theatre means everything to him. Over there, he bumps into Dwarkanath (Mohan Joshi), the most famous make-up artist in Marathi theatre. Impressed by Keshav’s dedication and honesty, Dwarkanath not only offers him an odd job in his theatre group but also shelter at his residence.

Soon, Dwarkanath realizes Keshav’s excellent acting talent and helps him land the lead role of Karna in the play Shoor Karna. As time passes by, Keshav becomes a hugely successful theatre actor. But along with fame and success, pride and ego too take hold of him.

Review: An unknown common man becoming a celebrity and then having a great fall is not a novel concept. But predictability is not the biggest problem with director Sanjiv Kolte’s Rangkarmi. It is the disappointing finale that overshadows a number of plus points the film offers. You personally feel bad to see this as the film is quite a good tribute to Marathi theatre artists and theatre lovers.

The trailer of the film is a giveaway. But even if you haven’t seen a single promo, you will realize the plot in the first few seconds. Thankfully, you won’t mind sitting through the predictability due to a sincere and smart narration of Keshav’s journey from an unknown villager to a superstar. This ensures a number of smile-producing moments in the first half. Plus, the working style and the behind-the-scenes of a theatre group are presented realistically. In various ways, they have paid homage to the art of theatre.

Naturally, due to the developments, the second half isn’t as engaging, although your interest isn’t hampered. However, the pre-climax and the climax turn out to be highly disappointing. Even after the defining moment in the climax, the film keeps moving aimlessly just to dish out another disappointment right before the ending credits. (It is not possible to explain further to avoid spoilers.) The conclusion also makes you wonder at the aim of the makers. So much to give a message that success shouldn’t enter your head?

Pravin Kunvar composed songs are impressive and they suit the situations perfectly. Cinematographer Santosh Sindhe has captured even the simplest of scenes in an artistic manner. The background score is average and the editing is as per the need.

Dr. Amol Kolhe lives the character of Keshav perfectly through an act that is heartwarming. He also handles the transformation part well. As expected from a veteran artist, Mohan Joshi gives an earnest and honest performance. Sheetal Dabholkar and Prafull Samant play their respective characters well while Sharmistha Raut is decent.

Overall: Rangkarmi offers a good tribute to Marathi theatre but the film falters due to the concluding parts. It has a bleak chance at the box office.

 

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Pitruroon (Marathi Movie) Review

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Director: Nitish Bhardwaj

Producers: IME Motion Pictures

Writers: Original Story by Sudha Murthy and Screenplay by Bhardwaj and Pravin Tarde

Cast: Sachin Khedekar, Tanuja, Suhas Joshi, Ketaki Vilas, Poorvi Bhave, Om Bhutkar, Mrunal Deshpande

Music: Kaushal Inamdar

Genre: Drama

Rating: * * * *

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: The film is based on author Sudha Murthy’s short Kannada story. Venkatesh Kulkarni (Sachin Khedekar), an architect, vows to fulfill his late father’s unfulfilled wish while performing his last rites. He confronts his mother (Suhas Joshi) about his father’s unfulfilled wish but she brushes away the topic.

When Venkatash visits a village in the Konkan region for a project, he is amused to realize that one of the locals is his exact lookalike. He is further amused when he comes to know that even his lookalike is named Venkatesh Kulkarni. His amusement turns into disturbance when few more shocking similarities emerge between the two. Do the two Venkatesh Kulkarnis have anything in common or is it a mere co-incidence?

Review: Due to some reason or the other, the genre of dramatic thrillers isn’t explored often in Indian films. But in his directorial debut Pitruroon, Nitish Bhardwaj has not only explored the genre but also made sure that the film turns out to be an artistically crafted drama that keeps you engrossed and interested throughout.

The basic prerequisite of every film is its story and this is where Pitruroon scores the most. Sudha Murthy’s tale is like a thriller but at the same time, high on emotions. But it is the screenplay and presentation that makes the film version so impressive. Due to some regular thrilling and intriguing moments, one is just glued to the screen for the entire 106 minutes, except for the songs. The makers should also be lauded for sticking to the short length.

The aforementioned plus points give rise to a number of memorable scenes that include:

  • First meeting between the two Venkatesh Kulkarnis.
  • Bhagirathi narrating her life story to one of the Venkateshes.
  • Hanumant getting to know about someone’s death through news on radio.
  • Bank locker scene.
  • The instance where the mystery is solved.
  • The all-important climax.

(Some scenes are purposely not included to avoid spoilers.)

The major negative aspect here is the predictability, especially in the first half. They could have done away with a lot of filmi-ness. There is also a laughable moment when the ever-stammering Venkatesh is seen singing fluently! Apart from this, the stark difference of complexion between the older and younger Bhagirathi is questionable.

Kaushal Inamdar’s music is melodious and it suits the situations. However, they could have shortened the length of the songs. The camerawork plays a major role in making the film look artistically brilliant. Some beautiful shots of Konkan deserve special mention. The background score adds to the thrill and drama. The editing should also be praised for the short length.

The film goes few notches higher due to the performances. Sachin Khedekar lives up to his image of a talented veteran by perfectly getting into the skin of two starkly opposite characters. It is difficult to imagine someone else in this role. Despite his act, Tanuja super impresses in her Marathi film debut with an outstanding performance!

Ketaki Vilas too does a fine job as the younger Bhagirathi. Suhas Joshi is believable as an aged and hurt woman. Poorvi Bhave provides a decent act and so do the rest of the supporting actors – Mrunal Deshpande, Madhavi Soman and Om Bhutkar.

Overall: Pitruroon is an example of an interesting story told in a very interesting manner. Due to the quality of the product and the popularity of Khedekar, it is expected to do well at the box office.

 

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Review: Asa Mee Ashi Tee (Marathi Movie)

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Director: Atul Kamlakar Kale

Producer: Usha Satish Salvi for Shree Swami Samarth Pictures

Writers: Sachit Patil, Atul Kamlakar Kale and Ashish Raikar

Cast: Sachit Patil, Pallavi Subhash, Mansi Salvi, Atul Kale, Bharat Dabholkar, Shoma Anand, Anuja Sathe

Music: Amitraj

Genre: Romance/ Drama

Rating: * * *

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Siddharth aka Sid (Sachit Patil) seems to be living a happy life with his son Mihir (Atharva Bedekar). But deep inside, he is trying to come to terms with the loss of his beloved wife Rhea (Mansi Salvi). Fate brings Akshara into his life through a business venture. Slowly, their relation becomes less professional and more personal. Unknown to Sid, the heavenly custodian of fate Shambhu Maharaj (Bharat Dabholkar) and his disciples are having a constant look at each and every turn in his life.

Review: Judging from the title, director Atul Kamlakar Kale’s Asa Mee Ashi Tee appears like a typical boy-meets-girl saga. However, that is not the case as the title has no relevance to the film’s story. It has a plot quite similar to the Hindi film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai with a dose of supernaturalism. While the love story works, the supernatural element isn’t completely convincing. Still, the film has enough heart-touching moments to watch it once.

It doesn’t take long for you to realize the story’s similarity to the Hindi film. So, if your story is predictable, you need to make sure the audience enjoys the predictability. Thankfully, this happens with AMAT most of the times since the majority of important scenes or events are handled very well. Examples: Rhea’s birthday party, the sequence about Adesh Bandekar’s TV show Home Minister, building of an emotional bond between Mihir and Akshara, love story between Sid and Akshara and a proposal scene.

The film also has an important supernatural angle about fate. Although it appears unusual, it was important to portray it so elaborately so as to explain to the audience. But on some occasions, it does go onto an unintentionally hilarious level. Plus, the way the mystery is solved isn’t completely convincing.

Amitraj’s music is melodious and it suits the situations. ‘Maula Maula’ is the song that stands out. Coming to the technicalities, the background score, camerawork and editing too go with the theme.

Sachit Patil provides a mature performance as Sid. He plays a father and a lover convincingly. After her debut Premsutra, Pallavi Subhash once again impresses; this time even more than her first film. Mansi Salvi too is first rate in a supporting role. The character of Shambhu Maharaj is tailor made for Bharat Dabholkar and he does full justice to it.

Atharva Bedekar does well as Mihir. The actors playing disciples of Shambhu Maharaj perform their job well. Anuja Sathe, Atul Kale and Latika Gore provide decent support. Intentionally or unintentionally, Shoma Anand is too loud.

Overall: Asa Mee Ashi Tee is a one-time watch if romantic films are your taste. The film will succeed at the box office only if it receives a strong word-of-mouth.

 

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Review: Mangalashtak Once More (Marathi Movie)

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Director: Sameer Joshi

Producer: Renu Desai

Writer: Sameer Joshi

Cast: Swapnil Joshi, Mukta Barve, Sai Tamhankar, Kadambari Kadam, Hemant Dhome, Vijay Patwardhan

Genre: Romance/ Drama

Music: Nilesh Moharir

Rating: * * ½

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Married couple Satyajit (Swapnil Joshi) and Aarti (Mukta Barve) are going through a troubled phase due to the former’s target-oriented job in a radio station. Although they love each other, there are constant fights between them, due to which they are also not able to bear a child. After their relation reaches a new low, they are separated. But are they separated forever?

Review: Sameer Vidwan’s effective and mature romantic flick Time Please – Love Story Lagna Nantarchi was released just less than four months ago. If you have seen that film, you won’t be too impressed with Sameer Joshi’s debut Mangalashtak Once More since it is like a not-so-convincing remake of the former. If you haven’t, the Swapnil Joshi and Mukta Barve starrer can be seen once for some appealing moments and, of course, the lead couple.

First, let’s come to the plus points. The clash between Satyajit aka Satya’s personal and professional life is handled with maturity through some realistic scenes at both fronts. Scenes inside Satya’s office deserve special mention as that is exactly the case in today’s target-oriented era.

But the film has two major problems. Firstly, the main issue of Satya throwing Aarti out of his house isn’t convincing since problems between the couple hadn’t reached such a high level. One can’t ignore it as ‘just a scene’ because the entire story is based on it.

Secondly, as stated above, the story is very similar to Time Please minus the delightful character of Himmatrao. But what is more surprising is that the pre-climax twist is also the same in both the films and that too involving the same actor – Sai Tamhankar! If it’s a co-incidence, it’s a huge one indeed! Apart from this, the scene between Aarti and a watchman appears unwanted.

Nilesh Moharir’s soulful music suits the situations well. The same can be said for the cinematography, background score and editing.

Swapnil Joshi and Mukta Barve performance is one of the biggest plus points. Swapnil displays various moods of his character with ease. Mukta shows maturity both while portraying helplessness and happiness.

Although Sai Tamhankar’s character is very similar to the one she played in Time Please, she succeeds in bringing a different take to it. But why is her supporting role listed as ‘friendly appearance’ in the credits? As Barve’s best friend, Kadambari Kadam plays her part well. Hemant Dhome is hilarious while Vijay Patwardhan and the rest of the actors offer decent support.

Overall, Mangalashtak Once More is an above average fair. The film has a taken a good opening and is expected to do well, mostly due to the lead pair.

 

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Review: Tendulkar Out

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Director: Swapneel Jaykar

Producers: Sudha Productions and Zee Talkies

Writer: Yogesh Vinayak Joshi

Cast: Santosh Juvekar, Sayaji Shinde, Vijay Maurya, Aniket Vishwasrao, Sai Tamhankar, Neelam Shirke, Atul Parchure

Music: Amar Mohile

Rating: * *

(Review taken from the website Halti Chitre.)

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Three men, Nayar (Santosh Juvekar), Abbas (Vijay Maurya) and Lefty (Aniket Vishwasrao) have taken up the task of finishing off Sunil Tendulkar (Sayaji Shinde), maker of B-grade films. He always makes films with his favorite actress and concubine Velvet Manisha (Sai Tamhankar). On the other hand, Tendulkar’s wife (Neelam Shirke) also has an extra-marital relationship with Dhanu (Atul Parchure). Will the trio succeed?

Review: As expected, Swapneel Jaykar’s Tendulkar Out has nothing to do with the cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar, despite the title and the fact that the film released on the day the Master Blaster played the very last innings of his career. But the real reason for the film not working is a poor story or rather, hardly a story. It is only due to some hilarity here and there that you manage to sit through it.

The film does start on a promising note though. As the trio goes about trying to execute their task, you are treated to some genuinely funny moments. The running cricket commentary to describe the situation of the trio works very well indeed and becomes the biggest plus point of the film.

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But you soon realize that the story isn’t going anywhere. You anxiously wait for something to happen but it just doesn’t until the last few moments. Although the final culmination is somewhat interesting, it doesn’t amuse you since the journey towards the climax hasn’t been a pleasant one. Apart from some silly moments, a big reason for this is the sub-plot about Tendulkar’s wife and Dhanu. Barring one rib-tickling moment, it doesn’t offer much. Also, the way they have tried to induce humor through Tendulkar’s wife’s labor pain appears a bit sadistic.

The film also suffers from being historically inaccurate. The entire movie centers around the 2003 World Cup match between India v/s Pakistan. However, the characters are seen using smart phones of today’s times. This is not all. They have shown the aforementioned match going right down to the wire. But in reality, India had won very easily.

The songs (Amar Mohile) are forgetful while the technical aspects (cinematography, background score and editing) fall in the above-average category.

Talking about the performances, Santosh Juvekar underplays his character well and succeeds in expressing anger, tension and frustration. It’s good to see him after long. Vijay Maurya too plays his character well while Aniket Vishwasrao isn’t bad. Sayaji Shinde fits the bill but we have seen him do such things many times before.

A good performer like Sai Tamhankar is wasted. Neelam Shirke and Atul Parchure are decent but, as mentioned before, their sub-plot doesn’t work.

Overall, Tendulkar Out is let down due to the writing. It looks like the makers, like many others, are trying to cash in on the retirement of the great cricketer. The film stands no chance at the box office.

Lagna Pahave Karun (Marathi Movie) Review

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Director: Ajay Naik

Producers: Solariz International and Sprint Art Creations

Writers: Kshitij Patwardhan and Sameer Vidwans

Cast: Umesh Kamat, Mukta Barve, Sidharth Chandekar, Tejashri Pradhan, Swati Chitnis

Music: Ajay Naik

Genre: Romance

Rating: * * * ½

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Nishant Barve (Umesh Kamat), who works in the U.S, returns home in Pune on a short break to marry a girl chosen by his mother through a marriage bureau headed by a lady (Swati Chitnis) strictly believing in horoscopes. While on leave, Nishant loses his job in the US. The news exposes the true face of his to-be wife and he breaks up with her. Nishant, who always was a disbeliever in horoscopes and other such things, insults the head of marriage bureau and rubbishes off her profession.

He comes across a stranger Aditi (Mukta Barve) who slowly becomes a friend. Aditi is eager to start a unique marriage bureau. Impressed by Aditi’s determination, Nishant agrees to be her partner in the venture. Everything goes smooth for Aditi and Nishant, who also start developing feelings for each other. Their bureau also tastes its first success through the marriage of Rahul (Siddharth Chandekar) and Anandi (Tejashree Pradhan). But the business partners face a big hurdle in the form of the head of the rival marriage bureau, whom Nishant had insulted.

Review: Most of the modern day Hindi film love stories cannot be enjoyed by the entire family due to various obvious reasons. But that is not the case with Marathi cinema these days. No doubt, films like Shree Partner, Premachi Goshta and Time Please were new age romantic films but they also maintained a fine balance between modernism and traditions. This legacy of appealing yet clean love stories is continued with debutant Ajay Naik’s Lagna Pahave Karun.

The film surely has the boy-meets-girl saga but like all intelligent love stories, it doesn’t appear filmy and has a good flow and realistic touch to it. A mixture of wit and emotions in the dialogues keep you engrossed throughout.

But what truly sets this love story aside is the background of marriage bureau and the rivalry born out of it. This topic is hardly explored before. On a personal note, my hatred towards marriage bureaus has diminished after witnessing the working of the one explored here.

But the closing moments stop the film from being truly exceptional. Although the climax is heartwarming, it could have been presented in a better way. But what is more questionable is not including a triumphant scene between Nishant and the owner of rival bureau, for which there was every scope. This would have surely generated applause. Nevertheless, these points don’t reduce your overall satisfaction much.

Naik’s soulful compositions are placed well and suit the need of the film. The camerawork is impressive and so is the background score. The editing should also be lauded for keeping the length of the film inside two hours.

Like every love story, performances play a key role here too. Umesh Kamat once again gets every emotion right and provides a lovable act. Mukta Barve too deserves similar praise for her impressive performance. Siddharth Chandekar and Tejashree Pradhan play a troubled couple aptly. Swati Chitnis succeeds in providing the antagonistic effect very well. The rest of the supporting cast fits the bill.

Overall: Lagna Pahave Karun is yet another mature love story of the year.

 

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Popat (Marathi Movie) Review

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Director: Satish Rajwade

Producers: Mirah Entertainment Pvt. Ltd and Citrus Check Inns

Writer: Satish Rajwade

Cast: Atul Kulkarni, Siddharth Menon, Ketan Pawar, Amey Wagh

Music: Avinash-Vishwajeet

Genre: Drama/ Comedy

Rating: * * * *

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: In Kulpe village, youngsters Raghu (Amey Wagh), Mukund (Ketan Pawar) and Bala (Siddharth Menon) are the best of friends. Unfortunately, they are not able to make a name for themselves, despite each one possessing some skill. To make use of their various talents, they decide to make a movie.

At the same time, Aids awareness campaign is on full swing in their village. Hence, they choose Aids awareness as the topic of their film. As they lack a proper camera and shooting equipment, they include marriage video shooter Janardhan aka Janya (Atul Kulkarni) in their team. What starts off as a fun activity ends up being the most soul-stirring journey of their lives.

Review: The year started with Ravi Jadhav presenting a serious social message in a lighthearted manner in BP (Balak Palak). Now, Satish Rajwade does the same in Popat. Although the topic explored in Popat is hugely different from the one explored in BP, the end result of both the films is the same. After Premachi Goshta, Rajwade has once again churned out a delightful saga, which also has a repeat value.

Like various rural flicks, the aim of the writer here is to make sure the audience connects with the characters, their missions and the location. This means that the film doesn’t follow a conventional storytelling method. But this doesn’t affect the audience in any manner whatsoever. In fact, it works very well as the writer succeeds in the aforementioned aim. The ever-present lighthearted and hilarious moments keep the entertainment quotient high.

But the bigger challenge for the creative think tank was to present an unusual yet important social issue. The creatively witty and yet powerful manner in which they succeed in their task make sure they deserve nothing short of an applause. The reason for this is that it is no mean task to enlighten, delight and entertain simultaneously. The climax deserves a special mention for it leaves you overwhelmed.

The only negative aspect that appears is the overall length of 154 minutes, which could have been shortened, especially in the first half. But this won’t trouble you much as the film never treads on a slow path.

The locations look enticing due to Bhaskar Samla’s cinematography. Music doesn’t have an important part to play but the tracks by Avinash Vishwajeet suit the needs. Thankfully, songs are used only when required. The background score too is impressive.

Atul Kulkarni shows his versatility and talent in his portrayal of Janya. His sudden switch from underplaying the character to acting loud is the best part of his brilliant act. Amey Wagh, Ketan Pawar and Siddharth Menon too play their parts exceedingly well. They are impressive in both humorous and serious moments. The unusual chemistry between the four is always visible. Anita Date, Neha Shitole and Megha Ghadge shine in supporting acts.

Overall, Popat is yet another winner from Rajwade. The content has the potential of doing well at the box office. This parrot deserves to fly high!

 

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Anumati (Marathi Movie) Review

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By: Keyur Seta

Director: Gajendra Ahire

Producers: Sri Pant Production Arts, Navalakha Arts Media Entertainment and Holy Basil Production

Writer: Gajendra Ahire

Cast: Vikram Gokhale, Neena Kulkarni, Rima (Lagoo), Subodh Bhave, Saie Tamhankar, Kishor Kadam, Neha Pendse, Arun Nalavde

Music: Gajendra Ahire

Genre: Drama

Rating: * * * ½

(Review taken from the website HALTI CHITRE.)

Story Outline: Anumati is the story of the elderly Ratnakar Pathare’s (Vikram Gokhale) attempts to save his dying wife (Neena Kulkarni), who has suffered brain hemorrhage. His son (Subodh Bhave) urges him to sign the DNR form (to remove life support) since the former has already spent a large share from his savings. However, Ratnakar refuses to budge as he is hopeful that his wife will survive. But how will he manage to find substantial financial support for further treatment?

Review: How practical it is to spend a large amount on someone who is in her last stage of life? Shouldn’t senior citizens have a right to think about their future just like youngsters? Why is it that someone’s survival only depends on his or her financial condition? While writer and director Gajendra Ahire raises these questions in Anumati, he presents a heart-wrenching, soul-stirring saga that isn’t short of a blissful cinematic experience. He is also largely helped by a movingly dedicated performance by veteran Vikram Gokhale.

The most vital task for the writer was to make sure the audience feels for Ratnakar’s character. That happens here truly convincingly. As the protagonist struggles to find financial support against all odds, the audience is constantly rooting for him. Needless to say, this gets them glued to the proceedings despite the pace not being rapid. Subplots about Ratnakar’s son, daughter, village folk and an old college friend are important aspects of the story that are smartly woven.

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There does come a moment when Ratnakar’s struggle for generating funds starts becoming repetitive and tedious. But just then, Rima’s (Lagoo) entry not only gives a fresh dimension to the story, but it also conceives moments that are profoundly heartwarming. The scene where she is having a chat with Gokhale’s character in the kitchen is one of the most memorable instances in recent years. Lastly, the film strikes a chord in a creatively moving climax too.

In the midst of these positive points, the biggest questionable aspect is Ratnakar’s wife not having a mediclaim, considering their well-educated background. Apart from this, the very serious topic and the fact that the pace drops on few occasions might not go well with a section of the audience.

The film pleasantly surprises by the portrayal of some scenic locations, especially the Konkan. Govind Nihalani’s artistic camerawork is responsible for this. He has also shown his class in capturing simplest of scenes creatively. His first outing in Marathi cinema is surely successful. Music wise, Ahire’s soulful compositions go well with the subject and are nicely used in the background. The background music too is apt.

Some performances force you to stand up and applaud. Vikram Gokhale’s act also compels you to do the same. His brilliant portrayal of a struggling senior citizen will move even a stone-hearted person. It isn’t a surprise that he won the National Award for this act. Neena Kulkarni plays her part very well too. For a good amount of screen time, she is just lying down but to stay still with the hospital equipment on, needs a lot of patience.

Rima (Lagoo) is simply brilliant! You easily fall in love with her character. Subodh Bhave and Kishore Kadam get it right once again. Saie Tamhankar shows perfect support. Playing cameos, Neha Pendse is effective while Arun Nalawade brilliant.

Overall, Anumati is an honestly made moving saga that deserves to be seen. The film needs some rapid word-of-mouth to succeed at the box office.

Zapatlela 2 Review

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By: Keyur Seta

Director: Mahesh Kothare

Producers: Kothare & Kothare Vision, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and Moving Pictures

Writer: Mahesh Kothare

Cast: Adinath Kothare, Mahesh Kothare, Sonalee Kulkarni, Sai Tamhankar, Makrand Anaspure

Music: Avdhoot Gupte

Genre: Horror/ Comedy

Rating: * *

(Review taken from the website HALTI CHITRE.)

Story Outline: At the end of the first movie Zapatlela (1993), Tatya Vinchu (whose soul was inside the puppet) gets killed by Inspector Mahesh Jadhav (Mahesh Kothare) while his henchman Kubdya Khavis gets arrested. Twenty years later, Khavis runs away from prison and lays his hands on the puppet that had Tatya Vinchu’s soul.

He visits Baba Chamatkar and forces him to bring Tatya back to life. Although Baba refuses, circumstances make sure Tatya regains his life inside the puppet. After twenty long years, Tatya finally gets the license to create havoc, especially for the late Lakshya’s (Laxmikant Berde) son Aditya (Adinath Kothare).

 

Review:  (TO READ THE REVIEW, PLEASE CLICK HERE.)

 

 

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