General Trivia
Released: 17th September 2021 (Netflix)
Country: India
Language: Hindi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari | Abhishek Chaubey | Saket Chaudhary
Genre: Romance, Drama
Rating: TV-14
IMDb Rating: 5.6/10
IMDb Synopsis: As big city life buzzes around them, lonely souls discover surprising sources of connection and companionship in three tales of love, loss and longing.
# spoilers ahead. In case you want to watch the movie, go ahead and read the review and view my ratings first.
Glimpse
The movie is an anthology of three love stories that speak volumes. The main theme though pertains to love, several other issues have been addressed through this 110 minutes of cinema.
Segment 1 Director: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Pradeep Loharia is the regular small-town Indian who aspires to make a comfortable living in the city of dreams Mumbai. He is hardworking and honest but the ceremonial monotony of his rather simple life leaves him lonely within the crowded city. Then comes a rather peculiar twist to his story. He falls in love with a mannequin of the shop he works for.
Pradeep names it Pari and confides in her his drastic rumble of feelings. His coworker finding his behaviour suspicious tattles to the owner, which ends up in him getting fired. Jobless he moves back to his hometown, where he rediscovers love in the form of his childhood friend. Now, with responsibilities as an engaged man, he requests back his old job. At work, the owner has the mannequin replaced and Pradeep is sent on a desperate race to trace down Pari. Once found, he bids farewell to his first love with a promise to forever cherish the times they shared.
Segment 2 Director: Abhishek Chaubey
Manjari is an average Marathi girl who has a taste for cinema. She frequents the local movie theatre where Nandu works as a ticket collector. They harbour mutual feelings of adoration but silence avails the best deal. But one fine day, confession is laid out on the table. Problematic families and suffocating lives dictate out eloping as a solution. On the fateful day, however, boy and girl face their own truths and realise they never needed each other to break free. Finally, they go their separate ways in search of life and happiness.
Segment 3 Director: Saket Chaudhary
The third and final story dwells on infidelity and letting go of toxicity. Tanu Mathur and Manav Kapoor two strangers are united under a common interest: having to face their respective partners who are cheating on them with each other. With an aim to learn about the reason for infidelity, Tanu and Manav get together to trace back events leading to the affair.
Truths are unearthed, shaded angst bared, identities questioned and an unexpected bond takes form between the cuckolded spouses. The Arjun-Natasha illicit affair drags to a shut with each party resorting back to their married lives once again. But Tanu's broken self-esteem starts to heal and she forces her way out of the sham of a marriage and leads to living a happy fulfilling life. Manav on the other hand chooses forgiveness rather than divorce as a way out of the murkiness.
Review - Reasons And Ratings
Segment 1:
Abhishek Banerjee is a delight to watch- innocent and naive, he perfectly portrays a small-town boy thrust out into a fast-paced world. The respect he projects towards the mannequin is an absolute lesson to what gentleman courtship signifies. The abject depressive and seclusive feeling that creeps in despite living in a crowd is the absolute truth of today's society. If you are a fan of this fabulous artist you will be amazed by the skins he can wear and shed. One can only wonder about his range of acting from vicious Hathora Tyagi to lonely Pradeep Loharia.
The script is well written and perfectly paced. There is an ease to the storytelling which stands out as a valid reason to watch this short. The theme of attached love is oozing out of the screen. It is the perfect definition of a short story; a fight against loneliness and the importance of having someone to talk to.
My Ratings: Plot: 6/10 | Acting: 9/10 | Overall: 7.5/10
Segment 2:
This is one story that spoke the most through discerning silences and stares as you would expect in an innocent love story. Rinku Rajguru and Delzad Hiwale have spoken volumes through their shy smiles and stolen glances. The unlikely similar situations of both Manjari and Nandu strikes up a closer bond between the duo, as they let their harsh realities cross over. Rinku's act as the sweet, innocent girl of a family that has no respect for her life choices is wonderfully done. Delzad has given life to Nandu- the diligent hard worker and caretaker of an alcohol abuser through the screen. Manjari's positive outlook gives a fresh twist to Nandu's closeted image.
Delzad's Nandu is the redeemer of the short. The script is not unique, but the direction has covered up flaws if any. The story is about self-acceptance and facing reality. The ultimate decision of going their separate ways is a message to all souls out there: self-love is always the prime priority. However, I found the narration on the slow side, wishing at times for a better cut.
My Ratings: Plot: 5/10 | Acting: 6/10 | Overall: 5.5/10
Segment 3:
Zoya and Kunaal's performances have brought the entire story to life. There is no unique perspective to the regular old extra-marital massacre, but the actors have given the third short a considerable advantage. The narration lags and cracks are evident but the emotions exploited has kept the story flow alive. The best part about this short was the considerate evaluation of both parties involved in the affair: the spouses who had cheated and the ones who were being cheated on. Tanu can be seen defending Natasha at times despite the betrayal.
The sole reason to watch this is the message that is delivered through the short. One needs to nurture and nourish one's individuality. Marriage is just part of one's life. Effective communication is the very core of a relationship. Trust and forgiveness are part of its foundation. I have to admit I didn't quite enjoy the last segment of the anthology.
My Ratings: Plot: 5/10 | Acting: 5/10 | Overall: 5/10
The entire movie is devoid of the glamour quotient and solely survives on the strength of its cast and storyline. This anthology film is a fine example of raw acting skills. I would give it an overall 6/10; my favourite being the first segment.
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Image courtesy: netflix_in, IMDb official website.
Video Source~ YouTube
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