PLOT
Chidiakhana is a sports drama about Suraj, a Bihari boy who finds acceptance in a Mumbai Chawl. Suraj and his mother live in the chawl for his football abilities, but there’s a problem with his game’s school grounds. If they win a tournament, Suraj and his team can play on the settings despite the expired lease. Suraj overcomes the team’s opposition and wins against all odds.
The newest production from the director Manish Tiwary, Chidiakhana, is a tale about a young man making his mark by pursuing his passion and perseverance for football. Because of his resilience, creativity, and football talents in particular, a Bihari lad is accepted by residents of a Marathi Chawl.
REVIEW
The narrative centres on Sooraj, a Bihari youngster who speaks to the camera directly and recounts his experiences. Because of the school gangs, he encounters after moving to Mumbai with his mother, Bibha, Sooraj cannot pursue his passion for football. His life also becomes upside down when he learns that the government has awarded the builders the land lease, which prevents him from playing football. He accepts a challenge to preserve the space for kids and predictably wins.
The second hour of this movie loses momentum due to the repetitive narrative approach, but the first hour is a time-pass. You also know right away that although this new boy in town would initially face challenges, everyone in his school and chawl will soon warmly welcome him. The element of the story about playing sports, which is interspersed with various subplots like Bibha’s past, Sooraj’s rivals in the gang, particularly Babu, a football player-turned-local goon, and Pratap, who helps and even coaches Sooraj, feels dull and gives the movie a bit more depth.
Ritvik Sahore does an excellent job of capturing the naivety and quiet centre-forward of his character Sooraj in life and football. Avneet Kaur, who plays Mili, Sooraj’s crush, breathes new life into the movie. As Sooraj’s mother, Rajeshwari Sachdev gives an acceptable performance, although her backstory should have been better explored. It is a surprise and remarkable change to see Prashant Narayanan in a favourable light as Pratap Bhai. The remaining cast also aids in moving the story ahead.
Ratings: 2/5
The story, which the director and co-writer both contributed, tells of two protagonists who mistake humans for animals, maybe to support the film’s Chidiakhana title. Out of a possible five stars, these factors led to two ratings.
Chidiakhana is available on 02 June 2023. Manish Tiwary is the director of the movie. In addition to Govind Namdeo, it stars Ritvik Sahore, Avneet Kaur, Prashant Narayanan, Rajeshwari Sachdev, and Ravi Kishan, and in supporting roles, Rajeet Kaur. It will soon be accessible to OTT users.
