Sometimes it is a given that a film's core subject, plot, narrative and an overall treatment would be such that it would lead to good critical acclaim coming it's way.
Moreover, it is also pre-assumed that it won't strike any false note.
'Gattu' is one such film. Directed by Rajan Khosa, it was a given that 'Gattu' would find good critical acclaim coming it's way, if not commercial gains, and one is proven right as end credits start rolling for the film.
As the title suggests, the film is about this kid Gattu (Mohammad Samad) who lives a poor existence but has dreams in his eyes. However unlike 'I Am Kalam', he doesn't have a hero figure in mind.
Instead, he wants to be a hero himself and defeat a villain, which, in this case, turns out to be something as harmless and simple as a kite.
The name is 'Kaali' and while it rules the sky and has been undefeated so far, Gattu takes it upon himself to rise up to the challenge. How he does that with limited resources and many obstacles coming his way is what forms the crux of 'Gattu'.
A film like this definitely requires certain sensitivity and Khosa shows that in abundance as he neither strays from the core subject nor tries to commercialise the entire 'poverty' premise.
Instead, he keeps the narrative as largely light hearted due to which there is a chuckle or two that comes at many junctions. The one who manages to do it quite well is obviously Samad who is just so believable as Gattu.
He looks the part and plays with such conviction that it one almost believes him to be coming from that strata of society.
What also impresses most is the way Gattu spins various tales to bring himself out of any tricky situation. This means whether it is bunking work or finding his way into the school or making his classmates believe that he had a 'mission' to accomplish, Gattu never fails to keep the smiles on.
Also, by the time the finale arrives and 'Kaali' is taken to the task, you know that the 80 minutes spent so far were indeed worth it since a lot of questions pertaining to social and economic disparity were acknowledged, if not answered.
The film is obviously not one of those much-awaited-blockbuster affairs. A small film, it of course has a limited audience in mind and that shows in the way it has been shot and presented.
However one does wonder why there was hardly any promotion for this one. With bare minimum visibility that the film suffers from, it is bound to be eclipsed under the shadow of bigger releases that would entice larger audience base for themselves.
However there could still be some light at the end of the tunnel of those who are going gaga over the film don't just stop at that but instead do something constructive that could help diminish, if not eradicate, issues around child labour and education that are raised in it's own subtle way here.
Now that's what would indeed make Gattu smile after he has done his job of doing the same to you.
Rating: ***
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