Last year when the movie, Sirf Ek Banda Kaafi hai came out on Zee 5, not many expected it to do too well but it went on to become quite the rage and had people even demanding a theatrical release for this movie. Then, OMG 2 which was another courtroom drama, came out later last year and had a good theatrical and OTT run. Without, trying to compare the films, Patna Shuklla is in the same vein except it is a more personal story of a woman whose existence as a lawyer has been systematically suppressed as she tries to fight for the justice of a girl and countless other students who have become victim of an education scam. Here is a detailed review of the film. Meanwhile, Check the Trailer here.
Patna Shuklla Review
When a nationwide scam gets intertwined with a personal story, the output is a wonderful blend of plots and subplots with a character journey that might be relatable to many women out there. This is an underdog story set in a courtroom where the odds are stacked against the protagonist Tanvi Shukla, but she finds a way to come up with uncommon ways of fighting against the system and causing a significant change in society.
Such films are heavily reliant on their scripts and their storytelling is the biggest asset of this film. The greatest part about this film is how Tanvi has started believing what the world is saying about her and how she discovers self-belief and grows into the Hero as we know it to be. The direction of the film is very good. Director Vivek Budakoti is firmly in control of this film and he knows what he is doing from the very first frame of the film.
The courtroom scenes have often become extremely repetitive in Indian films but it is good to see films breaking the norms. The recent Malayalam film Neru, invented with its courtroom drama storytelling and Patna Shuklla does so too. The courts appear to be more authentic. The performances are the high points of the film. Raveena Tandon absolutely carries the film on her shoulder and gives us a performance that would remind a lot of viewers of her performance in Satta. It is amazing how she can play an upper-class elite in Karma Calling a few months ago and now do something so different with such ease.
She is an absolute phenomenon on the screen. Manav Vij is the quiet surprise package of this film. He is understated and yet has a belief system which ends up making him the antagonist of the film. He is quietly assembling a good body of work for himself after Laal Singh Chaddha and Tanaav. Special mention to Late Satish Kaushik who showed us another glimpse of why we loved him so much and miss him so much now.
Overall, this film is your perfect watch for the weekend, and it will educate you and give you a sense of fulfillment by the time you end the film. We give this film a solid 4/5 rating for its authenticity and for the performances of the film.
Also Read: 4 Films like Patna Shukla