Vazandar

Some accidents end up doing more good than damage. This line from the film sums up what you should expect from 'Vazandar'.

We live in a world and time of viral videos. Cat and dogs, failed stunts, smart kids; we’ve seen them all. But many a times, a single tap on the mobile screen doesn’t necessarily mean what you’re seeing is the whole truth.

Kaveri and Pooja fall prey to one such viral video that pokes fun at their plumpness. It ends up turning their lives upside down but results in a good thing too. The duo decides to go on a weight-loss regime. As is the case with most ill-informed people, they try every trick in the book to lose weight; be it crash diets, excessive exercise or even weight-loss pills. But does it help?

Sachin Kundalkar’s latest offering has everything that you expect from it – aesthetic value, a slice-of-life story, balanced storytelling and good performances as well. Sai and Priya’s physical transformation shows their dedication to the job and their performances speak a thousand words. The supporting cast is strong as well, with Siddharth Chandekar and the lanky Chirag Patil fitting their respective roles. Cameos from Chetan Chitnis, Sameer Dharmadhikari and Gaurav Ghatnekar add more chutzpah to the film but not much value.

'Vazandar' essentially quashes many societal norms and expectations as it unfolds. It has a light-hearted take on different situations that the protagonists encounter but also makes you think hard. Your actions, however trivial, can spell emotional destruction for someone, so it’s always better to think before demeaning others.

As the film suggests, ‘It’s important to be fit and not about fitting into the society’s size chart’. Kundalkar’s film works in putting the message across, but you feel a sense of incompleteness while watching it. An addition of 5-10 mins of emotional touch to the film might’ve filled that void. Nevertheless, it’s Sai and Priya’s performances coupled with beautiful cinematography that win you over.

The film is worth watching once. Make sure you eat before the show or carry something along, because the opening shots are sure to make your mouth water.