Moebius Syndrome is a congenital nerve disorder that causes facial paralysis and impairs facials expressions. In an effort to shed light to the disease, Bakul Matiyani has his protagonist, Ali, suffering from it without being diagnosed.
“Smile Please” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
Furthermore, his family are about to move from their home in a small town to Mumbai, and Ali feels anxious and worried, but no one seems to realize the fact. The photographers who try to make him smile for a passport photo are just the beginning, but his distant father and mocking sister conclude the “circle”. His mother is more understanding, but the one who truly knows him is his best friend Rajan, which is the one the boy eventually opens up, even if from a phone.
Matiyani directs a 20-minutes short that highlight how undiagnosed diseases can impede the lives of people and particularly children, showing the consequences from the reactions to Ali's complete lack of reaction to any kind of stimulation. At the same time, however, and essentially as a cure to even this type of issues, Matiyani showcases the concept of friendship, with Ali's relationship with Rajan essentially being the one that helps him to both talk about his feelings and ask a favor from his father for the first time. That the former communication is being done through a phone, could be perceived (finally) as a wink to the significance of this type of connection, in contrast to how smartphones are usually portrayed in cinema.
As such, and despite the overall dramatic premises, the short ends with a sense of optimism, which is also heightened by the overall “light” approach the director takes on the subject, as he never allows his film to even get close to the reef of the melodrama.
Also of note here is the great cinematography of Neha Parti Matiyani, who captures the various settings with realism and artistry, also helped by the excellent job done in the coloring. Matiyani's own editing results in a relative fast pace that adds to the entertainment the movie offers. Lastly, Rishabh Karmakar as Ali gives a memorable performance, managing to be quite eloquent in his laconic acting, while Alok Chaturvedi as his father is quite convincing in the way he portrays his distance from his son.
Although the particular ailment does not become so evident apart from the ending titles, “Smile Please” still emerges as a sensitive and entertaining film that shows the issues kids face, particularly due to the lack of communication with their parents.
