Fatafati

Aritra Mukherjee’s Fatafati has a decent grip on the perils of both fatphobia and skinny-worshipping but manages to distil its size positivity from becoming unrelenting. It’s a clever approach too because the film's message weaves in ideas of body neutrality; instead of telling women how they should feel about their bodies, the film basically says they are much more than their bodily flaws or beauties.

Ritabhari Chakraborty plays Phullara, a plus-sized seamstress-turned-influencer from a small town who with the help of her brother-in-law starts a body-positive social media page. She lives next door to Biki Sen (Swastika Dutta), a fashion and wellness influencer who never misses a chance to size-shame her. Phullara’s husband Bachaspati (Abir Chatterjee) is smitten with her, her mum-law is not problematic in any real way and she has a supportive peer group. Very little gets in her way in the first half, (except maybe Biki and a fatphobic autowallah), which makes for a sleepy first hour. But we recommend not leaving midway because turns out the makers saved most of the drama for the second half.

Bachaspati loses his job in a clothing store and has to leave his family to work in Kolkata, while his mum falls ill owing to her hyper-liquid diet (recommended by Biki, of course). Phullara, however, thrives as a plus-sized fashion influencer by the name of Ms Fatafati whose body-loving posts bag her some swanky brand deals and a million followers in just a few months (Emily in Paris best be taking notes). It may seem a tad unrealistic but statistically speaking it’s not too far off since experts have noted how retail giants are ramping up collaborations with regional influencers, considering the growing buying power of people in tier 2 and 3 cities.

Ms Fatafati uses masks, fans and clever props to hide her face in her brand collaboration posts, clearing the way for a fashion face-off between Biki and Phullara, where the latter finally shows her face to the public. The film never gets too preachy to handle and also doesn’t veer into areas that call for debate; themes like eating disorders, weight loss or abuse are approached in a grounded fashion.

The screenplay is sensitive and balances its aspirational tone quite well. But considering it’s fairly straightforward, its 171-minute runtime is a problem. It also has too many songs when it doesn’t really need any. Swastika’s mean-girl act is a strong draw and Abir does a good job as well. But it’s a Ritabhari film from the beginning to the end; considering the actor has been vocal about her health struggles and stance on wellness, the screenplay comes across as quite humane and engaging. She's funny, restrained and really watchable; she shines in the big moments and also helps elevate the film beyond its core messaging. Some may deem it a one-time watch but that shouldn't take away from the film's creative merits. Watch it for the laughs and the drama if you have some time to kill this week.