Stanley Ka Dabba Movie Review: 3.25 / 5
Published on May 13, 2011 by Admin · 1 Comment
Writer Amole Gupte, who written Taare Zameen Par earlier coming up with another sensitive subject – and message oriented film. Amole Gupte turned producer, director and lyricist with this movie. Let's see how this movie goes.
Story: Stanley (Partho) who goes to school and invariably eats food from the tiffins of his friends. Stanley’s Hindi teacher, Babubhai Verma (Amole Gupte), is shameless enough to eat from the tiffin boxes of his students and doesn’t even mind stealing from the tiffins of the other teachers when they aren’t around in the staff room.
Verma teacher soon realises that Stanley could be the reason for his students not wanting to share their lunch with him (Verma) because they have to also feed Stanley. In a fit of rage compounded by frustration at having to go hungry, Verma teacher scolds Stanley and asks him not to come to school if he can’t carry his tiffin box with him. The sensitive Stanley stays away from school thereafter, much to the concern of his friends.
What happens thereafter? Why does Stanley not carry his tiffin box? Can’t his parents afford to give him lunch? Or is there some other reason? Does Stanley do anything to give it back to Verma teacher to avenge his humiliation? The latter part of the film provides the answers.
Performances: Partho does well in the role of Stanley. Numaan is cute as Aman. Abhishek does a confident job. Amole Gupte is effective as Verma teacher. Divya Dutta leaves a mark as Miss Rosy. Divya Jagdale is superb as the Science teacher, Mrs. Iyer. Raj Zutshi makes his presence felt in the role of the History teacher.
Rahul Singh is alright as the school principal. Aditya Lakhia (as Peon Parshu), Shiv Subramaniyam (as the Mathematics teacher), Kadambari Shantshree (as the Art teacher), Shashank Shende (as Stanley’s uncle) and child actors Sai Saran, Monty, Walter, Leo, Ganesh and Tijo provide the desired support.
Amole Gupte’s story has children as the main protagonists and the film seems to be targetted at the kids mainly. However, the message it gives at the end is for adults and actually brings tears to the audience’s eyes. The film moves at a leisurely pace and appears to be a light-hearted take on the tiffin box and the ever-hungry teacher in Stanley’s school. But the drama takes an emotional turn when the truth about Stanley and his tiffin box is revealed towards the end.
Amole Gupte’s direction is true to the subject. Having said that, it must be added that a film like this would appeal more to the festival audience. Hitesh Sonik’s music and Amole Gupte’s lyrics are okay and ought to have been far more appealing. Cinematography, by Amol Gole, is good.Deepa Bhatia does a fine job of the editing. The movie was a bit slow, but ok. On a whole I’m going with 3.25 for this movie
Bottom Line: Message Oriented – Intention was good.
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Tags: Review, Reviews, Stanley Ka Dabba
This is certainly an excellent movie. watch for its simplicity,honesty. Partho is a natural actor. Nothing can hide a talent.Certainly some changes in the film could have really made it more entertaining. Never the less see the movie and remember the child in you.