Guthlee Ladoo

Story: The movie follows a poor sweeper’s son who desires to attend school but is restricted by the societal constraints of his caste. He forms an unspoken bond with a high-caste headmaster who’s compassionate but powerless in the face of discrimination. Will they rise above and make the young boy’s dream come true?

Review: The story begins in a village where Guthlee (Dhanay Seth) runs behind a van selling jamun seed (guthlee) powder to learn to write his name. The bright boy has the fire to learn and stealthily attends school, standing outside the classroom by the window, as he belongs to a lower caste. Throughout the movie, director-writer Ishrat R Khan and co-writers Srinivas Abrol and Ganesh Pandit depict an oppressed class’ struggles through Guthlee, his close friend Ladoo (Heet Sharma), and their parents.

The more Guthlee tries to realise his dream of attending school, the reality and society’s hypocrisy seem starker and stronger. An upper-caste woman tells off Guthlee’s father, Mangru (Subrat Datta), for touching her child’s bicycle but has no qualms about taking money from him and a school teacher teaching the class a patriotic song but chases the young boy away. However, the narrative sometimes seems to overexplain and presents the irony too many times.

Anil Akki’s cinematography is worth mentioning, especially with the camera angles used to show the village. The segment’s world is created authentically, whether the surroundings, the unsafe and unsanitary conditions people work in, or how they are treated.

The characterisation is intriguing, whether portraying the haves or the have-nots. As the headmaster torn between societal constraints and doing right by an oppressed section, Sanjay Mishra delivers a nuanced performance. Subrat Datta and Kalyanee Mulay, as Guthlee’s parents, make the viewer relate to their characters. Kanchan Pagare as Ladoo’s father, Budhiya and Arif Shahdoli as the evil politician and the school’s owner Chaube also stand out. The two child actors, Dhanay Seth and Heet Sharma, as friends and two ends of the spectrum in the same world, are brilliant. Both get the expressions on point. Seeing them follow what’s expected of them is heartbreaking.

As the narrative flits between showing reality and hope, the film’s second half loses its pace and drags in many places. The movie has flaws but is impactful in delivering the message of the Right to Education and the importance of being aware of other laws and rights created for all citizens. The story is bittersweet and unsettling but also serves as a beacon of light in promoting equity and empathy.