Web movie: Shukranu
Platform: ZEE5
Cast: Divyenndu Sharma, Shweta Basu Prasad, Shital Thakur
Director: Bishnu Dev Haldar
Rating: 4/5
Certainly most women are going to like this one! But the fact remains ‘Men will be men’. Their brains are forever hanging in their knees and they seem to jump the gun at everything without any thought! Probably that is precisely why most of them seem to be having affairs! The ZEE5 original, ‘Shukranu’ that launched on February 14, 2020 speaks of a man’s deducted ability to think, and jump to conclusions at the drop of a hat.
The case in point premised at the time of ‘Emergency India’, the story is about a young man named
Bittu (Divyenndu Sharma) who is on his way back to the village to get married. While on his way, he is nabbed by a gang of government officials and is forcefully sterilized. The idea of sterilization was enforced in lieu of keeping up with population control at the time with Emergency India. The emotional, mental and physical pain that Bittu goes though is simply overwhelming. He’s tongue-tied, and is unable to voice his concern to anyone. He has indeed carried this off very well. He has, with absolute dignity shown the kind of pain a man goes through, when he is robbed of his manhood right on the eve of his wedding.
His wife Reema (Shweta Basu Prasad), is a loving and accommodating woman, and is in awe of the fact about why Bittu isn’t able to consummate the wedding night. Ten days later some magic finally happens and the couple is finally about to come together. All is well and Bittu gets back to the factory and starts work again. His friend (Aakash Dabhade) gives Bittu the news that he is going to
become a father! Bittu is angry of course, and shows this unforgiving attitude towards Reema. He then begins with a clandestine affair with Avantika (Sheetal Thakur). The relationship has it all! There is drama, spice, great sex, and everything a man needs to keep it going! All is well, till the heavily pregnant Reema comes along to stay with her husband and her friend. The smooth-sailing
ride will now turn to a hilariously rocky one!
The dialogues are simple and easy to follow. We arrive at the crux of the plot rather quickly, and little time is wasted at giving insights and needless explanations on the kind of situation India faced at the time of Emergency. In fact all this is cleverly woven in the plot and is showcased as part of the act. Divyenndu Sharma once again takes the cake for his acting. He has essayed his role well, and has displayed a number of emotions at the same time, keeping well with the sensitivity of the situation.
Aakash Dabhade’s comic timing is priceless! Especially in the scene when all the four are going on an outing. He really seems to lift the very regular plot a couple of notches up as he adds the required spice using accurate comic timing. Sheetal Thakur looks vivacious however; she comes
across more as the millennium girl, rather than the girl from the ’70s; especially with the kind of attitude she carries. The writer and director Bishnu Dev Haldar, could have made this flick a wee bit more meaningful. But the film gets a 4/5 for the comic timing, and the sync between the cast and crew for a brilliant execution, that could have the audience bursting into peals of laughter.
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