My taste in movies needs to be re-calibrated. ‘Chintu Ka Birthday’ streaming on ZEE5 is getting rave reviews as a family entertainer, and I am sure it is not at all entertaining. At times, it is engaging and troubling. At times too relaxed meandering on its own. Mostly it remains tense and absurd to irrationality. Sometimes it feels like you are watching a play as the cast momentarily loses its orientation and chemistry at few points. And when it momentarily tries to get on the area of war and its repercussions, its impact on relationships – it loses the plot.
It is 2004. The US has invaded Iraq. One of the illegal Indian migrants and their son Chintu is still holed up in Bagdad. They are getting ready to celebrate Chintu’s ka birthday. In that gloom and death at any point scenario, they have plans for the birthday. And then things happen, and you ask where is entertainment. It is still a movie to watch for its short duration but leaves you more shaken than entertained.
What works for ‘Chintu Ka Birthday’ is a simple storyline. All action centred around a single incident. Excellent work by Vinay Pathak. Excellent support by Tillotama Shome. The child actor Vedant Raj Chibber is brilliant and very expressive in his role. In fact, you live all the excitement and disappointments through his eyes and smile. It is about hope, priorities dedication. It tugs at your heart but does not carry the emotion through the movie.
The minimalistic support cast of the Iraqi landlord and the US military men is perfect. In fact, they make you ride the Invasion theme and add that edge to the whole episode.
STAR CAST: Vinay Pathak, Tillotama Shome, Seema Bhargava | Written and Directed by Devanshu Kumar and Satyanshu Singh.
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