Kaam Chalu Hai Review: It’s been a while since we’ve seen Rajpal Yadav embody a poignant character like Mithilesh Babu from Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh or Chander from Kushti. While the world has, time and again, witnessed his bravura as a leading comic actor across iconic films like Phir Hera Pheri, Dhol, Khatta Meetha, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, his ingenia to concatenate with the masses, through author-backed roles mirrors the versatility and range he possesses as an actor. Palaash Mucchal’s Kaam Chalu Hai serves as a scintillating example for the same. The tragic drama film that traces the ill-fated story of a father, is bound to leave you with a lump in your throat. For a change, Rajpal Yadav might make you cry but without the laughter.
‘Kaam Chalu Hai’ tells the real-life story of Manoj Patil (played by Rajpal Yadav), a dedicated father, living with his small family in Sangli, who transforms his grief into a powerful movement for change. In Manoj’s world, his daughter Gudiya (played by Kurangi Nagrak) and wife Radha (played by Giaa Manek) are everything to him. Manoj’s main goal in life is to fulfill his daughter’s ambition of becoming a cricketer.
Kaam Chalu Hain Movie Review: Plot
The Patil family, a simple middle-class household in Sangli, consists of Manoj (played by Rajpal Yadav), a restaurant manager, and Radha (portrayed by Gia Manek), a homemaker. Their world revolves around their daughter Gayatri (played by Kurangi Nagraj), affectionately called Gudiya. She is a topper in both academics and sports. Absolutely loved cricket, which fuels Manoj’s aspirations for her future. However, tragedy strikes just before their planned trip to Mumbai for Gayatri’s cricket coaching, shattering their dreams.
From accompanying her daughter to cricket camps to imparting enriching values through stories and anecdotes, Manoj strives hard to provide Gudiya with the best possible environment to thrive, at times to the sheer annoyance of Radha, who equally wants Gudiya to excel in her studies. Despite their limited means, a rickety scooter to drive around, this family of three cherishes and enjoys each other’s company. The bond is depicted like one of those family paintings that we used to make as children.
When Gudiya gets a chance to participate in a cricket tournament, his aspirations soar. However, tragedy strikes and it crumples their perfect family drawing as Gudiya’s dreams are shattered in a heartbreaking accident caused by the negligent actions of the authorities. The narrative shifts to how Manoj copes with the loss of his daughter. Instead of succumbing to despair, he embarks on a remarkable journey to ensure that no other family experiences a similar tragedy. His transformation from grief to advocacy is what makes ‘Kaam Chaalu Hai’ a tale of resilience and inspiration.
Kaam Chalu Hai Movie Review: Direction
The decision to keep the main event of the film hidden for the majority of its duration is both intriguing and concerning in terms of the screenplay. When the film starts, Manoj can be seen spending time with her daughter near the ghat. Following this, in several sequences, the father-daughter duo used to dream about cricket – how to enter district-level matches, joyful family time, and getting scolded by her mother. It’s all things happy, but it felt overly exaggerated.
However, showcasing the happy family is understandable for audience connection, but the tone and shots sometimes felt sluggish. As the story goes on, the movie effectively shows how serious the problem of potholes is. It’s clear how dangerous they can be, causing accidents or even deaths. But it’s somehow frustrating to see that authorities don’t take action to fix them, which makes us wonder who’s responsible.
The incessant soundtrack, in the movie, overwhelms every emotion, pushing Kaam Chalu Hai into melodramatic territory. Unfortunately, this doesn’t elevate the sequences since the core drama is quite simple and important.
Kaam Chalu Hai Movie Review: Performances
When you expect Rajpal Yadav’s presence can turn around the story and make a difference. It helps to an extent, but cannot salvage the blandness of the storytelling. It’s an important topic, which is necessary for everyone to watch. But, at some point, you lost the interest. Even Rajpal Yadav’s emotional sequences fall flat due to the bland treatment.
Giaa Manek’s portrayal of Radha Patil didn’t contribute much to the storyline. Just when we thought she was becoming prominent, she seemed to fade away. Despite being a character we’re supposed to empathise with, we couldn’t connect with her. On the other hand, Vijayshri Nagraj as Gudiya Patil charmed us with her performance and brought some joyous moments to the film.
Kaam Chalu Hain Movie Review: Final Verdict
Ultimately, we learned at the end, that it’s inspired by a real-life activist. However, we’re left without witnessing his journey or his contributions. No doubt, the film’s social message is important and it’s equally important that it’s conveyed through a compelling film. This is where Kaam Chalu Hain falls short of expectations.
