Chidiakhana movie review: In pursuit of a new beginning, Sooraj (Ritvik Sahore) as well as his tough mother (Rajeshwari Sachdev) travel to Mumbai. We only know that they are compelled to relocate over night from one place to another prior to they have a chance to truly establish roots. They, who? Why are they fleeing? Will football-loving Sooraj be able to get through his obstacles?
We already know how a sports movie with a Mumbai slum setting and an underdog at its centre will turn out. If our protagonist’s past had been thoroughly explored, it would have been a crucial point of differentiation. We observe Sooraj having nightmares about wild animals as he tries to find friendly faces in a hostile environment, including a tough-talking rival schoolmate (Jayesh Kardak), a kind-hearted goon (Prashant Naryanan), one land-grabbing neta (Govind Namdeo), and a football pitch that is about to be laid down to greedy sharks. It’s pretty much the only potentially intriguing component of this formulaic plot, but it’s not given enough attention.
The actors perform their duties. Sahore has a pleasantly sincere quality, and Sachdev as well as Narayanan are both skilled at bringing a scene to life. However, with the writing providing so little support, they all sound clichéd. Likewise, the movie.
Chidiakhana rating: 2.5/5