Direction: Sujay Dahake
Production: The Great Maratha Entertainment, Nishad Audio Visuals, Naulakha Arts
Cast: Anshuman Joshi, Ketaki Mategaonkar, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Nandu Madhav, Santosh Juvekar, Jitendra Joshi, Devki Daftardar, Ashwini Giri, Amruta Khanvilkar
Music: Aloknanda Dasgupta
Rating: * * * ½
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Plot: Based on the novel of the same name by Milind Bokil, the film is set in the 1970s in the interiors of Maharashtra. Ninth standard student Mukund Manohar Joshi (Anshuman Joshi) has a crush on his beautiful classmate Shirodkar (Ketaki Mategaonkar). There are also a bunch of interesting characters in the form of teachers, a principal and Joshi’s parents.
One day, Joshi garners courage and proposes to Shirodkar. Will she accept his proposal? Is there a future for their love story? Backdrop of the Emergency period is also used in the narrative.
Review: No matter how big you grow, school memories will always be etched in your memory forever. Time and again, you feel like revisiting your old school days. Sujay Dahake’s Shala (School) will help you revisit those days for almost two hours by experiencing the joys and sorrows of a bunch of kids studying in the ninth standard.
Avinash Deshpande (screenplay) deliberately uses not-so-fast narration due to the nature of the subject. This was necessary so as to involve the audience into the proceedings as the kids go about their daily routine in the school. But despite the kind of pace used, proper care is been taken to keep boredom at bay with the help of some humorous incidents and conversations.
Apart from Dahake’s handling of the classroom scenes, it is Diego Romero’s artistic camerawork and Divya Mehta’s realistic sets (of the 70s) that make you feel as if you have enrolled once again in a school. This is more evident when you feel for the students in the climax. The above trio’s contribution in the village (non-classroom) scenes makes sure you also experience a visual treat. Aloknanda Dasgupta’s background music provides further soothe to the proceedings.
But the events in a few portions of the second half might test the patience of those who are looking for commercial entertainment.
Despite the presence of some experienced actors, it was necessary for Anshuman Joshi and Ketaki Mategaonkar to give top-notch performances as they are the central characters. Both kids do exactly that while making us feel as if they are seasoned actors. The rest of the kids, especially the one who plays Mhatre, are lovable too.
Experienced actors like Dilip Prabhavalkar, Nandu Madhav, Santosh Juvekar, Jitendra Joshi, Devki Daftardar and Ashwini Giri give mature acts in supporting roles. Although Amruta Khanvilkar does well, she should have been given more lines.
Overall, Shala is as gentle as a smooth flowing river. Those interested in meaningful, off-beat genre should attend this class. At the box-office, the word-of-mouth will help the movie enjoy good collections.
Ekdam bhari movie ahe…
Well, i didn’t find it slow paced at all. On the other hand time just flew by. I felt some parts of the story deserved more time. Nice review though.
nice movie…
My god…. I was expecting the story would be Good, but actually it was beyond my imagination & everything and every second of the film was worth. Hats off to Shaala team.
Nice movie and wish “life should have a rewind button”
hya shaalet naakki ya… one of the movie for 2012
Good film.
But the durationtoo short. Should have been a long film like Natrang to cover the major scenes.
You should read the book. It’s highly nostalgic. I have already read the book 3 times. You should have the book in your personal book collection
We both are in the same state of mind as far as this film is concerned. I have already read SHALA novel long back before I saw this film. Infact I saw this movie twice and also bought the novel to quench my unquenchable thrust that I recently realised after I saw this movie.
Really a nice movie . After I read your review for this movie and realised that we both have same feeling for the novel and the movie and felt like conveying same to you. Bye do revert back if you can. Bye.S.A.SURYAWANSHI
Fantastic movie
Hey Friends,
Have read the SHALA book & will definitely read the book also. I agree with Laxmikant comment, given a chance we all would love to go back to our school days.
Thank you..Mr. Milind Bokil to write such a lovely book!!!
Cheers
Regards
Madhuri
Thank you for a detailed comment Madhuri
Cheers,
Keyur
I mean to say will definitely see the Movie tomorrow.
khup chan movie ahe .manala sparsh karun ja te ,ya shalela ekda tari bhet dya. .
that’s is very good story, and all cast : Anshuman Joshi, Ketaki Mategaonkar, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Nandu Madhav, Santosh Juvekar, Jitendra Joshi, Devki Daftardar, Ashwini are very good job in har acting & that is so nice Make movie……….
I found the movie to be great only in cinematography, sets as well as background score.
Characters are heart of any movie. Except for Joshya, His 3 friends and Shirodkar, the other characters seem very poorly developed. The editing of the cut I saw in Theatre was horrible. It was all scattered and lacked homogeneity. As for the acting, I didn’t find Ketaki Mategaonkar to be delivering Top-Notch performance though Anshuman Joshi was good. It was kind of stereotyped and her character didn’t have any shades anyway.
But then again, it’s me and my views could be different than masses..
Thanks for the detailed view Uncommon Man
Appreciated!
Very nice movie…. Everyone should watch….
Mukund joshi and shirodkar yanche future madhhe kay zale?
Tyancha kay nay zaala.
Bhatukalichya khela madhalya raja ani rani ardhyavart dav modla adhuri ek kahani
hey its really very nice movie, every one should watch this movie. i really appreciate the mr milind bokil
i love u shirodkar& my friend suraj love kevda.4 friend of real life is 1.vaibhav(favda) 2.suraj(surya) 3chandu(joshi) love ambekar4.samrat(chatur)
this movie is really a good movie which is handled very delicately and beautifully,i feel it is rich in all departments, i am really very surprised to see that why these movies are not worthy of oscars, our movies are really magnificent and they must be appreciated at all international film festivals.
Yes, I agree Aaditya!
its very much true , this movie is just a great, it touches every body’s heart those who have gone to school.
And to appreciate such a movie one needs a sensible heart.
S.A.SURYAWANSHI
Superb movie, but all should read the SHAALA BOOK Also, my favourite book since last 8 years, thanks to Mr.milind bokil to write BOOK. I love my shaala.
i love thise love story……suppprer
awsm awsm movie…
Shirodkar’s name pronounced only one time in movie.. Pliz tell me
..If u saw movie nd u compared wid ur lyfe u wil in love wid chararacter….if u dont lyke d movie, means u learn in city nd never njoyed ur school lyfe…lyke them nd me. me..
Yes only once Shirodkar’s name is pronounced through out the movie , when Shirodkar comes to Phawdya to buy vegetables, Phawdya says to Joshi , when Joshi wants to leave , he says ” Are thamb ,bagh Shirodkar yeti aahe ”
S.A.SURYAWANSHI
not correct, name has appeared several times
Yes Harshwardhan you are right Shirodkar’s name has apeeared couple of times.
S.A.SURYAWANSHI
Awesome movie great Screenplay, music & songs
One thing I would like share with u why should this end with tragedy why not show any solution of this problem insist of showing reality.
Shala movie heart touching , last scence of movie awesome every feel that movement when we leave school , college (crying man)
“I FELT THE STORY DESERVED MORE TIME TO ENJAY MY SCHOOL DAY LIFE”
BEAUTIFUL ACT BY ANSHUMAN JOSHI & KETAKI MATEGAONKAR
Yes the film appears to be little short, and comes to an end unexpetedly when every one whosoever wathing movie is already lost in the movie. Sub plots of other characters Mahtre, Phawdya,& Chitrya should have been developed further and given an adequate footage. The movie is just awsm & touches to every sensible heart.
Great movie.
S.A.SURYAWANSHI
As the movie is Great but every one like the Ketaki’s role but in actual Practice the Anshuman Joshi done a Great job than any other one of this film.he is the wall of this film.He has done a great job.He done the main leading role very successfully as He left alone in the life for the Horrible Future.I like his Role in the Novel very much.
shala he pustak mala bhayankar aawadala hota..agadi manat rutun baslela..tyavar movie mhatala tar kay aasnar aasach vatat hota…pan movie pahilyavar shanka dur zali..khup chhan banvala..taripan movie aavdlelya pratyekane book vachaylach pahije..pratyekala vatata he tar mazyach shleche varnan…mi he pustak 7 varshapurvi vachle tevapasun sarva character manat ghar karun hote.mi 75 to 80 shlet hote tyamule aanibani vagairehi aathvale..many many thanks to milind bokil and sujay dahake.
ketki looking beautyful…….shala ha chitrapat pahilya nantar. mala janavla ki mi ajun shalet aahe
mala majhe mitra majhi glfrnd sarvach athavtat
i read the book shala and next day i watched the movie.I think the film’s length has to be increased by 1 hr so that all characters will get justice.A person watching a movie without reading a book wont be able to gather the characters. Actually, a serial on this book will do great.
kharach shala athvali ………………zakkasss re……………..!
shala is phenominal film extraa ordinary Work by team, exilant story, best platform, starcast done autstanding work. Film generate all memories back during school days. Heartly congratulations to team of shala. Keep it on!
Nice Movie…All character have played their character very well specially joshi, narumama and shirodkar….and all scenes are very much similiar with every ones school life… But ending part is really painful…I think team should look for part 2 of this story…where we can find what happen after emergency period, confusion of joshi, and how all freinds are doing after their school life (how they are trying to prove their importance in the society), also some good ending to their innocent love story…