Shantit Kranti Review: An Endearing Tale Of Friendship Along With A Quirky Ode To Dil Chahta Hai

Star Cast: Abhay Mahajan, Lalit Prabhakar, Alok Rajwade

Director: Sarang Sathaye, Paula McGlynn

Available On: SonyLIV

Duration: 31 to 38 minutes

In one of the scenes of Shantit Kranti, the three protagonists come out of the theatre after watching Dil Chahta Hai in their childhood. Despite the innocence of their age, they become deeply enamoured by the film that feels closer to home. From deciding who is the Aamir Khan of the group to crushing over Preity Zinta, the three soon grow up but realise that the journey of a friendship goes much beyond taking road trips with each other when they embark on one such trip that 'literally' promises to change their lives.

What's Yay: The performances, cinematography and comic elements

What's Nay: Inclusion of scenes that didn't have much to contribute to the story and the lack of clarity to the characters' tribulations

Story

Shreyas (Abhay Mahajan), Prasanna (Lalit Prabhakar) and Dinar (Alok Rajwade) embark on yet another Goa trip that is like a friendship ritual for them, the trio being ardent fans of Dil Chahta Hai. However, they instead land in an eco-retreat called Shantivan. The place then opens several doors of self-realisation and introspection for the three.

Direction

Directors Sarang Sathaye and Paula McGlynn have curated a feel-good tale of friendship, introspection and battling one's insecurities and deepest fears. The protagonists share an endearing relationship with each other but also each one of them is striving to face the not so pleasant realism of their life. The best aspect of Shantit Kranti is that the trio realise the brutal reality of their life and decide to make a life-altering decision anyways in an organic manner. Nothing about their actions or camaraderie with each other looks forced. Their co-occupants in the retreat also play an important role in their introspection and decisions. The nuanced writing by Abhay Mahajan, Anusha Nandakumar, Chetan Dange and Sarang Sathaye keeps the essence of the plot alive.

However, where the series fails is that some scenes did not have any part to play in further enhancing the story. It is a little confusing how Dinar (Alok Rajwade) suddenly becomes a 'Guru' of sorts for some people in the retreat by just sheer day-drinking and giving out some stereotypical sermons. It also has little to do with his ultimate melting point at the end. The series would have looked even more realistic if more efforts would have been given on Dinar and Shreyas (Abhay Mahajan)'s characters trying to work on their vulnerabilities and fear even more. Whether it is Dinar's fear of becoming like his drunkard father or Prasanna trying to laugh off his nervousness, one could have related to their characters better if they tried to tackle these issues in a realistic manner. Only Prasanna (Lalit Prabhakar)'s character has an arc where he makes an important decision after reaching a crossroad.

Performances

Abhay Mahajan delivers a stellar act while essaying the unproclaimed leader of the squad. One of his high moments is that when he realises that everything in life becomes even more seamless when there is no bondage of any kind or when he realises that it's time to let a failed relationship go. There is never a dull moment when he is on screen. Lalit Prabhakar is effortless as the composed and level headed Prasanna. He essays the vulnerabilities of his character perfectly. Be it his breakdown during a musical therapy or bonding with a middle-aged co-occupant in the retreat, the actor is a sheer pleasure to watch. Alok Rajwade's act is wholesome to the core as he strikes a fine balance between his comedic and emotional scenes. His energy is infectious in all of the scenes and the actor is a visual delight in some of the scenes. His rant to declare himself as the 'Aamir Khan' of the group is unmissable. Veere Di Wedding actress Shikha Talsania's debut in the Marathi OTT sphere is refreshing to watch. She is highly realistic in her act and her scenes with Abhay Mahajan are adorable to witness. The other supporting actors that play the occupants and staff of the retreat are also impressive in their performances.

Technical Aspects

The cinematography by Nikhil Arolkar captures the picturesque locales of the road trip and the eco-retreat. The music by Saurabh Bhalerao is catchy and upbeat. However, the editing could have been more refined in some parts.

Verdict

Check out this one to see a refreshing and feel-good take on friendship. Not to forget, the film promises to be a perfect ode to Dil Chahta Hai considering that the movie turned 20 years on August 10, 2021. We give Shantit Kranti 3 out of 5 stars.