Media Magick

There are a few directors who are known for the uniqueness of their craft. The kind of cinema they create never disappoints their audience. One of such directors is Shoojit Sircar. After giving a break to Ayushmann Khurana in Vicky Donor and working with Amitabh Bachchan in Piku, Sircar teamed up with both the actors for Gulabo Sitabo. Gulabo Sitabo was supposed to be released in cinemas but because of the pandemic the producers decided to release it on Amazon Prime. Gulabo Sitabo also features actors like Brijendra Kala and Vijay Raaz. Let’s see what the film has in store for its viewers.

Gulabo Sitabo Trailer

The story of Gulabo Sitabo revolves around the residents of Fatima Manzil, a 200 plus years old building, where the owner along with her husband Chunnan Mirza (Amitabh Bachchan) and tenants live. Amongst the tenants is Baankay (Ayushmann Khurana) a lousy but cunning guy who skips paying rent regularly and his tussle with Mirza is constant. What happens with the owner, tenants and Mirza is what Gulabo Sitabo is all about. How archeological department, builders and law get the attention of Fatima Manzil and how it all wraps up is a brilliant example of satire and sarcasm. One has to watch it to experience it.

Amitabh Bachchan as Mirza is remarkable. We have seen him in Paa, Pink, 102 Not Out and Piku but Mirza stands tallest. The way Bachchan carried himself in the film, the kind of act he displays and mannerism he embraces are all next level. It’s a delight to watch him play a scheming yet acquitted 70 years old man. Ayushmann Khurana plays his part with extreme commitment and it is evident in every scene. There are traces of characters from his earlier acts but that’s in the air of Lucknow and every young guy middle-class is more or less like that.

Brijendra Kala is in complete form, he is very natural. His introduction scene with Amitabh Bachchan is brilliantly penned, and Kala beautifully portrays it. “I speak English and home and eat only Dinner and Lunch” are the kind of words that people use often but enacting them with realistic touch is something that Kala has done strikingly. There are many such scenes like that. Vijay Raaz is an amazing actor; in Gulabo Sitabo he is good but not excellent. Probably his lines are not as strong as they could have been.

Gulabo Sitabo is a genuine content driven cinema with zero glam and larger than life hard to believe sets and characters.  The story is very simple and the script is tight, crisp and very engaging. Dialogues are brilliantly written. Juhi Chaturvedi deserves standing ovation for bringing out the simplicity, on the face sarcasm, right language and phrases that ae used in day to day interaction in such areas and neighborhoods. Shoojit Sircar’s direction is first-rate. In few scenes he handles the execution of the message and maturity of the subject very intensely yet ideally.

If you like content-driven cinema that’s about characters, their lives and feelings then you will definitely enjoy Gulabo Sitabo to the core. It might not be a commercially viable venture but a must-1-time-watch. Gulabo Sitabo offers laughter, smile, and an understanding of relationships and people living together but not living for one another.