REVIEW Bal Bharti (Marathi): A Film with a Poignant message!

Producer-Sunjoy Wadhva and Comall Wadhva

Director- Nitin Nandan

Star Cast- Sidharth Ramchandra Jadhav, Nandita Patkar, Abhijeet Khandkekar. Aryan Mengaji, Sanjay Mone, Usha Naik and Ravindra Mankani

Genre- Social

Platform of Release- Theatres

Rating- 3 star

The film revolves around Rahul Desai (Siddharth Ramchandra Jadhav) who lives with wife Sunita (Nandita Patkar), son Chinmay (Aaryan Menghji) and mother (Usha Naik) in Kolhapur. Both, Rahul and Sunita, struggle to speak in English. Their son, Chinmay, also studies in a Marathi medium school and hence talking in English is too problematic for him too.

When destiny propels Rahul to get Chinmay admitted to an English medium school, unfortunately for him, his life becomes hell when he starts attending the new school as he can’t keep up with his English-speaking classmates. When Chinmay has to present his project at a science competition, he falters in English and the judge asks him to speak in Marathi. Chinmay wins the competition and convinced that his old school is not bad, he re-joins his Marathi medium school.

As far as the performances of the star cast are concerned, Siddharth Ramchandra Jadhav lives his complex role as Rahul Desai. Nandita Patkar is good in the role of Rahul’s wife, Sunita and commendable is the chemistry shared by both of them as Chinmay’s parents. Aaryan Menghji performs ably as Chinmay and wins you over with his zest for emoting tough scenes with effortless ease.

Abhijeet Khandkekar lends fair support as Rakesh, while Usha Naik is just about so-so as Rahul’s mother. Ravindra Mankani is okay as Headmaster Bhagwat. Sanjay Mone provides ordinary support as the judge. Others are passable. Though the film does not have commercial ingredients to draw the audiences to the theatres, Pankaj Padghan’s background music is alright. Pushpank Gawade’s camerawork is okay. Prashant Rane’s art direction is just about ordinary. Kshitija Khandagale’s editing is reasonably sharp.

Nitin Nandan’s direction is indeed commendable because he has set out to drive home a very poignant as well as possible message to parents of wards that it is immaterial what the medium of instruction is in school, what is important is how you are able to grasp what your teacher teaches you.

It is a funny take on how parents want their child to master English although there is nothing wrong with it but at what cost, especially since today English seems to have become the parameter of intelligence. The film sends home the truth that there are several people who are very successful but not fluent in the English language as the language is connected with emotion and culture. Bal Bharati unfolds many such layers associated with language.