'Chumbak' review: This Akshay Kumar-backed venture is masterclass of cinema
Akshay Kumar-backed Marathi venture Chumbak dropped on SonyLIV this past week. The highly-acclaimed film stands up to its award circuit fame with honest performances from the chief cast, innocence in the story, and touching portrayal. Directed by Sandeep Modi, the project, lasting an hour and 41 minutes, has been produced by Naren Kumar, Aruna Bhatia, and Cape of Good Films. Here's our review.
Why does it matter?
After having its world premiere at the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) Film Festival in 2017, the thoughtful film is premiering on an OTT platform only now. "I don't want to earn money by producing this film," Kumar had said back in 2018 before the movie's release in theaters. It's an excellent opportunity for everyone to watch Chumbak, who didn't catch it then.
Two teenagers plot to fleece someone but plan falls through
Baalu (Sahil Jadhav) is a teenager working at a restaurant in Mumbai. He dreams of opening his own juice stall and that might become true if he can collect a certain amount within a week. Desperation and turn of events make him pull off a scam with the help of his friend Disco (Sangram Desai). Village simpleton Prasanna Thombare (Swanand Kirkire) becomes their victim.
Baalu is haunted by tug-of-war between his dreams and morals
But Baalu's conscience makes it difficult for him to follow through with the cheating. Modi keeps his portrayal raw yet relatable as Baalu realizes how cruel the world is at one step but then finds his morals compromised when he tries to pull something. This constant tug-of-war between his dream and morals makes up for an engaging watch. Which side will ultimately win?
The performances are brilliant, execution deserves praise
All three lead actors perform brilliantly. No wonder Kirkire had bagged a National Film Award for this act! Modi uses natural lighting to make the twists and turns in the narrative appear more constrictive. The ending montage is one of the finest examples of filmmaking on display. Verdict: The SonyLIV offering gets 4/5 stars. It is available in seven languages on the platform.
