Paathshala Review

'Paathshala' is all about reproducing a role-learnt syllabi.  When a film that has resemblances with the concepts seen in 'Inkosari' and 'Sneha Geetham' is being made, one expects the director to not be satisfied with scratching the surface.  The target audience have watched a 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaara' and 'Rock On' but the director seems to be thinking that 'Dil Chahtha Hai' was the last ever experiment made on the Indian screen.  For all the apparent 'Happy Days' feel about it, 'Pathashala' presents old syllabi.

There are three guys and two girls, facing different life situations and all of them have to make tough choices now that their academic life has almost come to an end.  The premise being this, one expects a novel offering at least in terms of narration or subplots.  The bonhomie and banter apart, the friends face situations like passion versus compulsion.  There comes Sashank who has a checklist of to-do things and everything from his disease to wants is made as per a ready-made template.

When it is a road film, it goes without saying that a life-changing experience is on the anvil.  Here, that experience comes in the form of Sashank (the film's best performer).  However, Mahi V Raghav fails to save any surprise for the climax.  It's like the progression from compromise to self-assertion would have come the same way even had the friends not crossed path with Sashank.

The subplots are packed with events that begin and end like a ritual.  Salma has a tough choice between marriage and career, someone else has a tough choice between music and mainstream career (and even his flashback is old school - 'pathashala'), another has to dare for his childhood sweetheart, yet another has a love interest in one of the friends.  One element that is new?

Wait, the syllabi does come with 'innovative' chapters.  Dark-skinned girl has to be made fun of, invariably.  LB Sriram has to play a poor man, invariably.  That child has to score a perfect 10 (not even 9 is acceptable), invariably.  One of them must have a short-lived love story as a Standard V kid, invariably.  There has to be a road race, invariably, as it is a road film.  There is has to be a busy businesswoman mother (not father, for a change), invariably.  There has to be a special lecturer, invariably, played by Surya, invariably.  There has to be a would-be father-in-law who makes marriage conditional, invariably.  So on and so forth.

For all the routine trajectory, the film has some good elements.  It is a visual treat as the cinematography is excellent.  The performances (Nandhu,  Shashank, Sirisha, Anupriya and others) are good enough.

The songs are neatly weaved into an otherwise mundane narration.

Had the subplots come with a dose of imagination, the film might have had chances of making the grade.  The screenplay lacks in certain areas as the friends seem to over-react at times.  If a friend is not able to make to the trip, you needn't behave as if your result has been withheld by the university.  There is needless references to "middle class premalu'.

Verdict: Pathashala has a nice infrastructure but the syllabi is the same as taught in other schools.

Rating: 2/5

తెలుగు రివ్యూ కోసం ఇక్కడ క్లిక్ చేయండి