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Nil Batte Sannata - A Warm Cute Film

Really liked Nil Batte Sannata, a Hindi film I saw recently with my relatives. After a long time there was a film that all of us really enjoyed and warmed up to - everybody from me to my eight year old niece.

Though the film attempts to convey the rather serious message of girls' education, it does not come across as heavy handed or dull. Laced with witty humour and stellar acting, the film is an entertaining watch. Almost everybody acts well, and convincingly. The pace is just right. The director, Ashwini Iyer Tiwari, keeps a tight grip on the proceedings, delivering the message with gentle sarcasm and humour.


Image source: www.india.com

A carefree, willful teenager rebelling against her mother's constant nagging to study and become somebody, is something most adolescents would identify with. The fact that the mother is a single parent, working as a maid in people's homes and sweating it out to secure her daughter's future, is something the girl hardly cares about.

The film carefully contrasts the girl's don't care attitude with the mother's concern and fears for the future. We can sympathize with both, though more with the mother, and we wish that the child sees sense. When her mother slaps her in frustration, it seems as if we have given vent to our anger and exasperation at her casual and brazen attitude. When she correctly solves complex maths problems, we triumph in joy. The audience totally identifies with the protagonist - the mother, her struggle, her dreams, and wishes fervently that those dreams do come true.

Swara Bhaskar excels in her portrayal of the single mother struggling in her world, though never losing her zest for life. Ria Shukla, playing her daughter, and the kids playing her friends also deliver excellent performances. A special mention of Ratna Pathak Shah and Pankaj Tripathi who essay the roles of the employer cum agony aunt, and the school principal respectively. Both are very believable and human.

All in all, a lovely movie, a moving experience without any masala or violence. Well done!

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