Gulabo Sitabo is the first Indian big ticket film to have a direct OTT release. The film starring Amitabh Bachchan, Ayushmann Khurrana and directed by Award winning filmmaker Shoojit Sircar is streaming on Prime Video. Let’s see whether the film has lived up to the high expectations.
Gulabo Sitabo Story:
A greedy old man Mirza (Amitabh Bachchan) resides in an old mansion named Fatima Mahal in Lucknow owned by his wife Begum, wherein Baankey (Ayushmann Khurrana) is the tenant who neither pays the rent nor vacate the place. The only one dream Mirza’s whole life is that of becoming the legal owner of the mansion. Things go awry ever since an archaeology department official, Gyanesh Shukla (Vijay Raaz), and a lawyer who specializes in disputed property cases, Christopher Clarke (Brijendra Kala) come in support of Baankey and Mirza respectively. The rest of the story is all about where the dispute of the mansion owner and tenants end.
Gulabo Sitabo Review Rating Analysis:
Shoojit Sircar is known for making different genre films and Gulabo Sitabo is yet another unique film. The basic story is promising, though the narration is sluggish. The film is about ordinary people resorting to desperate measures in the hope of bettering their lot.
Amitabh Bachchan as Mirza is a man who is visibly weighed down by time but refuses to abandon the world. The veteran actor nails the role with his performance. Ayushmann Khurrana, too, coaxes the right notes from the feckless Baankey, who hides his inadequacies with a cultivated air of detachment. He brings alive a character you cannot but care for. The last 20 minutes is the best phase of the film.
Cinematography by Avik Mukhopadhyay is remarkable and Shantanu Moitra’s BGM is noteworthy.
Gulabo Sitabo has parts that are a bit of a mixed bag, but the manner in which the film rides on its quirky principal premise, witty little characteristic diversions and two wonderful pivotal star turns gives it an interesting watch.
CJ gives 2.75 stars and we recommend our viewers to watch the film.