‘Half Ticket’ – An Emotion filled realistic film
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Rating: ★★★ ½
Genres: Drama Censor: U Duration: 130 min. Studio/presenter: Video Palace Producer(s): Nanu Jaisinghani, Suresh Jaisinghani, Mohit Jaisinghani Director: Samit Kakkad Writer: Dnyanesh Zoting Music: G.V Prakashkumar Cinematographer (DOP): Sanjay Memane Cast: Shubham More, Vinayak Potdar, Priyanka Bose, Usha Naik, Bhau Kadam, Jaywant Wadkar, Kailash Waghmare, Shashank Shinde, Shrikant Yadav Movie Review by: Ulhas Shirke |
Known for their realistic subjects, Marathi films have been appreciated world over. Now, the latest addition in this list is new Marathi film ‘Half Ticket‘, which is an emotion filled film, presenting the effect on the family of a person, who is arrested and kept in police custody, waiting for the court decision. His wife (Priyanka Bose Kamat) is working hard in a sewing unit, to raise money, to pay to the lawyer to get bail for her husband. At the same time, her two little children are looked after by their old grandmother( Usha Naik) at home.
The elder child in the family identifies himself as Mothya Kavalyache Anda( Big Crow’s egg) and younger one Chhotya Kavalyache Anda ( Egg of small crow); only because they are fond of picking up 2 eggs from the crow’s nest and sipping the content. They also support their mother by collecting the coal lying around the railway tracks, with the support of a track mechanic Tuti Fruti( Bhau Kadam) and selling it to a scrap vedor( Shashank Shende) . Initially, the elder son has a dream to possess a mobile phone. But, when a new Pizza shop is opened in their area, his new wish turns into sharing a Pizza worth Rs.299/- with his younger brother. To make it possible, they do extra work and earn the money in a short time.
When the two brothers are prevented from entering the shop by the security person, they on the advise of their friend Tutifruiti , start earning more doing odd jobs, to purchase new clothes for themselves, so that they could find entry into Pizza shop. But, this time, they are slapped by the manager. A video of this happening taken by a child in the neighbourhood, is acquired by the local goons in their slum and they blackmail the owner. But, the owner plays a smarter game , which fulfills the wish of the two children. But, after tasting the Pizza, they realize that the Home made Pizza attempted by the grandmother was much better.
With this simple emotion filled story, director Sameet Kakkad has presented a very sensible screenplay, showing the feelings of the slum children at that age.
Through the characters like Nana( Shrikant Yadav), Pokya( Kailash Waghmare), Chillar( Nitin Bhodare) & Shilwant( Jaywant Wadkar) , he has shown the selfish attitude of Politicians and their associates, while exploiting their own community people. The film also shows the dilemma of the woman, managing the house, after her husband is arrested by the police. Very cleverly, the director has tried to show, how the entry into big malls and Pizza shops become a dream for the children living in slums. If the dream of a little schoolboy boy from a well to do family , is owning a costliest wrist watch, that of a child of his age, living in slums, may be of eating a Pizza one day, costing Rs.300/-.
There are very few errors committed in the screenplay. How could this poor family, after winning a TV set in lucky draw, manage to have a satellite connection, with additional expenditure of at least Rs.500/- a month; when the woman is struggling to earn money to pay to the lawyer for her husband’s bail ? But, the intention of the story writer Dnyanesh Zoting is good, while dealing with this subject. The cinematic version of this story has become more effective, with the wonderful sound design by Anmol Bhave. Sanjay Memane’s cinematography, GV Prakash’s music and Faisal Imran’s editing makes this film more presentable. Excellent performances come from the two child artistes Shubham More & Vinayak Potdar, their mother played by Priyanka Bose kamat, Grand mother Usha Naik and others.
‘Half Ticket‘ is a much better film than ‘Slumdog Millionaire‘, because this film doesn’t exploit the poverty in city , but deals with a subject, with a social message. Moreover, it is made in Marathi, by our own Indian film maker. Certainly, a worth watch film, to understand how 54% of Mumbai’s population is living in slums and how they are struggling to survive in this tinsel town.
Dance based ‘Aayna Ka Bayana’ is a Dream seller
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Rating: na
Banner: LFS Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., Im Shanti Universal Producer: Akshara Film Division Director: Sameet Kakkad Music: Ajit Sameer Choreography: Umesh Jadhav Cast: Sachin Khedekar, Amruta Khanvilkar, Rakesh Bapat, Ganesh Yadav, Siddhesh Pai, Sanket Farad, Praveen Nair, Rahul Kulkarni, Dinesh Kamble, Amit Rokade Movie Review by: Ulhas Shirke |
Dance and Music based reality shows on small screen have created an opportunity for many talented youngsters including kids. Watching the popularity of such dance based reality shows, film maker Sameet kakkad has this time offered a dream seller in the form of ‘Aayna Ka Bayana’ a rock Music based Marathi film. The film targets all those young dance lovers, who have dream in their eyes to turn pop star one day. No wonder, the film is a tribute to Pop star Michael Jackson, who has been clearly mentioned, besides playing his dance video in one of the most important scenes in this film.
Aayna Ka Bayna, Dance‘Aaynaa Ka Bayana’ with a tagline ‘Ghetlyashivay Jayana’ clearly speaks about the struggle of 9 young boys from a remand home, who show keen interest in dance, when their Counselor cum dance teacher( Amruta Khanvilkar) turns them into experts in all forms of western dances. But, the warden of the Remand home Mr. Sathe( Sachin Khedekar) is very much opposed to such a practice inside his campus. For him, all inmates are criminals and not entitled for such liberties. But, Amruta who plays a protagonist in this film, dares to challenge the warden, who is a former Police Officer.
With the help of her choreographer friend ( Rakesh Vashishta) she offers these boys a platform, after they escape from the remand home, experiencing mayhem at that place. But, their participation at the competition is full of hurdles, as the warden with the help of police is after their arrest. In the meanwhile, the audience is shown the past life of few boys in the group, to give an idea under what circumstances they had committed a crime and landed at the remand home. ‘If there’s a will, there’s a way’. And, the group of these young dancers, finally succeed in achieving their goals, with happy ending.
The film does have a story to narrate, besides offering western style music composed by Ajit Sameer, to suit the theme of the film. But, the story part is not much, as the director is clever enough to narrate the scenes of few youngsters in quick flashbacks, focusing his attention more on dance and music. In the initial stages, he has picturised the dance based songs at different famous locations of Mumbai, on the choreography of Umesh Jadhav. But, it is the superb cinematography of Sanjay Jadhav, which make all such moments more appealing. The dances in the concluding part, including the climax have been over stretched in a typical melodramatic style; in this nearing 100 minute long film.
The nine boys with extra ordinary dance skills, who have been picked up on the basis of their performance in TV reality shows, have also acted well, besides displaying their dance skills. Sachin Khedekar is impressive in the role of a warden. He has also given a surprise through a song picturised on him displaying his flexibility through few dance steps. It was nice to see veteran actress Sulbha Arya, in a small role of a mother of one of the inmates from the remand home. Others in the supporting cast have done their jobs well. But, it is Amruta khanvilkar, who puts up an astounding emotion filled performance in the role of Dance teacher cum counselor. Her concern for the society is clearly noticed through her body language and spontaneous expressions. Santosh Juvekar makes a special appearance as a show anchor, in the concluding part of the film, in his own style.
Director Sameet Kakkad has paid more attention on western dance and music; but, has also passed a social message, through few emotion filled scenes and hard hitting dialogues at appropriate places in the film. Though targeted at youngsters, the film does pass a social message.