Lights, Camera, Injustice: Reviewing 'Batti Gul Meter Chalu' (2018)
After a long time, I was craving to watch a movie, and with that intention, I started searching on the web and finally found the perfect combo "Batti Gul Meter Chalu" movie. This is a captivating drama that combines social commentary, romance, and humor to provide audiences with a social stigma and an exciting cinematic experience. It was directed by Shree Narayan Singh in 2018. The movie's plot resonates with the issues of electricity corruption in the distribution systems in India.
The story begins with a girl named Lalita and a lad named Sunder Tripathi waiting for his friend Sushil Kumar Pant as SKI for the festival where people shoot archers inside burnt tires. Whoever meets the target exactly will be awarded with no generator bills for the next six months. This is also a story about three friends' triangle love. The story's buildup is strong and thought-provoking. I must give enormous credit to the writers and director for presenting it so eloquently and elegantly. The tale maintains the audience's attention from beginning to end, and it is the most beautiful aspect of the film.
The plot had 2-3 twists and turns that I, as an audience, particularly liked. After Tripathi launches his printing mill, the staggering electricity bill depicts the reality of electrical corruption in India's distribution systems. Then another twist occurs when SK discovers that the girl he loves, Lalita, actually loves his friend Tripathi. After that, he began avoiding Lalita and acting wired in front of both his buddies. Everything appears normal in their lives until one day, SK's friend Tripathi commits suicide as a result of a large electrical bill issued by the local utility board.
Deeply affected by his friend's death and the injustice caused by inflated electricity bills, SK decides to take on the corrupt electricity distribution system. He files a case against the electricity board, represented by lawyer Gulnaar (played by Yami Gautam). The courtroom drama unfolds as SK fights for justice and accountability, facing various obstacles and threats along the way.
The film's main cast includes Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyendu Sharma, and Yami Gautam. The protagonist, Sushil Kumar Pant or SK (Shahid Kapoor), is a carefree and gregarious young man from Uttarakhand's little hamlet of Tehri. SK owns a modest company with his buddies, Sunder (Divyendu Sharma) and Tripathi (Farida Jalal).
This film is a fine example of the director's improvisation. I especially like how it depicted the plot, and the characters are performed superbly. This is a film with a wonderful spirit. Better editing and a shorter runtime would have improved the film's effectiveness. The most unforgettable scene that came to mind after viewing the film was when SK visited a biscuit factory owner with a bunch of small children and cleverly tricked the business owner with his knowledge of the law, stealing a large sum of money.
The film highlights the unpleasant reality that average residents endure while confronting corruption and incompetence in public services, particularly the electricity distribution system. It emphasizes the importance of structural reform and accountability in ensuring that everyone has access to dependable and cheap power.
The songs and background music are highly appealing, adding to an enjoyable viewing experience. Although the plot started slowly, it eventually gained up pace. The film is skillfully edited, and it keeps a consistent narrative flow. If you haven't seen this movie yet, you should. The performances, storyline, drama, and suspense make up a complete bundle of entertainment.