Shoojit Sircar's films always have a certain charm of their own. Their distinctive subjects and idiosyncratic characters are a result of his writing companion- Juhi Chaturvedi, apart from his directorial decisions. What gave both of them such recognition was the 2012 release, “Vicky Donor”; which also won the National Award from that year. However, their collaborations have mostly dealt with people belonging to the middle-class from the social paradigm, who do not live in particularly grave financial conditions. Be it Piku, October, or Vicky Donor, the characters from their films were fairly privileged, largely sharing their emotional concerns. The characters in “Gulabo Sitabo”are hardly like that.
They need to hustle to fulfill their basic needs, which is what primarily interests in this new film. That is the first and foremost where the film becomes politically relevant, where the characters' urgent needs and desires are more materialistic and less focused on their emotional being.
Situated in the Indian city called Lucknow, we meet the two leads roaming around the streets, being a part of all the hustle-bustle. One of them is Mirza (played by Amitabh Bachchan) an elderly peasant who resides in Fatima Mahal (an old palace-like structure) as a result of being married to Fatima Begum (played by Farrukh Jaffar) aka the rightful owner of the place. However, there is an obvious disparity, since he is treated as nothing more than a servant. The only reason for him to still live there is his deep infatuation for the place. He harbors a dream to someday be the sole owner of that property. And the same mansion is eyed on by a measly tenant, the other lead, named Baankey (played by Ayushman Khurana), who is tired of the constant banter from Mirza regarding the rent. Meanwhile being the sole earner, he is also trying to make the ends meet for his orphaned family.
Through this exhaustive explanation, the only concern is to elaborate their financial, familial situations apart from the location that the narrative extensively revolves around. It is a key element around which the makers try to place the themes of greed for material possessions, while also trying to shed focus on the institutional elements that constantly push them down or leave them stagnant. Mirza and Baankey are still obsessed with having the possession of that mansion. That comes from Mirza much more, since there is almost a romantic involvement nurtured by him over several years. Baankey mostly wants to benefit to ensure shelter, while trying to earn respect and trust by his family members and his girlfriend likewise. There is a continuous undercurrent explaining his uneducated, half-witted side, which also becomes transparent in the scenes involving his decision-making.
With a location in hand, the film introduces other greedy characters, from an archaeologist (played by Vijay Raaz) to a lawyer (played by Brijendra Kala), seeking the same for their selfish reasons, while making them appear like unselfish acts. The duality is quite obvious and something that the film tries to monetize its humor over. The overall ‘wit' hovers over the same ‘it is not how it looks' façade.
It comes off as no surprise that the three-time National award-winning gets the ethos of the town exceptionally well. If every other written piece about “Gulabo Sitabo” has praised its visual appeal, it holds completely true. Just like how the characters feel very much part of the presented setting, Shantanu Moitra's music does too. The musical tracks will not be nearly as striking for their individual appeal, but they infuse incredibly well within the film's narration.
Yet the writing seems oddly uneven. Every scene felt vital to the entirety in the writer's previous works, which it hardly does in the case of “Gulabo Sitabo”. There is very little that sticks like how it does with her previous scripts. And the concern is not about meandering shots establishing a mood; it is about the ones that unnecessarily add on without their individual dramatic merit or purpose. The muddled screenplay cannot conclude what to focus on and resultedly keeps shifting it. Due to that, several issues keep piling up. The satisfaction related to its ending is a result of the effort to reveal some kind of twist about their fate, and not of a well-balanced screenplay.
One loses interest in what happens with these characters since there is very little interest, to begin with. They seem oddly whimsical, whereas the behavioral elements come off as largely forced. The prosthetic makeup seems like all there is to it to their performances. The side-characters, like that of Baankey's girlfriend or his sisters, especially Guddo, have the required zest, not just in terms of the performances but also in the way they are written. However, the fascination related to the lead characters ends at the viewer's sensibility towards their situation and the themes presented throughout.
There is an ongoing hassle between both the leads in regard to the allegories surrounding the traditional puppet show of “Gulabo-Sitabo”, while creating both of them as a result of something beyond their control. Trying to blend that within a Bollywood film certainly deserves some praise.
Yet, even if the movie tackles a much more potent issue, Piku and October (their previous offerings) are considerably better and well-balanced with a fine blend of naturalism or humor. Not only as a comparison but even as a standalone film, “Gulabo Sitabo” comes off as just another satire dealing with social issues.
