Patna Shuklla

However, this is not to reduce Patna Shuklla to some kind of non-entity. It has its moments, and they are compelling. It is lovely to watch Raveena in a completely new avatar – as a lawyer pleading for a poor girl, whose life and future are at stake in the hands of a corrupt university administration surreptitiously exchanging the mark sheets of rich students, (with poor academic record) with those of academically brilliant young men and women who have no money power or political backing. Patna Shuklla is undoubtedly one of the better films I have seen in recent months, but it sinks a little in my estimation because it tends to borrow a tad too much from Jolly LLB. But, examination scam is a huge business and the film arrives at a very appropriate time.

With an ensemble cast like this, director Budakoti could have worked harder on the script. While the subject is rather novice and interesting, the script loses its grip many times. It also fails to interweave the multiple subplots and ends up all over the place. Another major issue is the length - the editors could have easily chopped 30 minutes from ‘Patna Shuklla’ without causing any major change. However, given it's an OTT release, viewers can easily fast-forward a few scenes whenever they want. Also, the music hardly has any impact as none of the songs are memorable.

In the presence of the subservient writing then, the performances have to do the heavy lifting. Raveena Tandon plays Tanvi with an innocent appeal, pulling away her complex emotions when the need arises. She has a pleasing presence on-screen, as also discussed by two male lawyers in the film who feel that she lightens up the courtroom. Satish Kaushik is lovable as he finds the truth of his character with ease and so does Manav Vij, who brings in a sensitive gaze to the husband who grows to respect his wife’s profession. Anushka Kaushik shows a promising sign of the good performer she is even when the writing doesn’t do her much justice.

It’s the kind of film where we know the outcome, so predictability doesn’t come in the way of noting a few nice touches: Manav Vij playing the kind of supportive (in a few places, coming off a tad too supportive to be true) spouse that any woman would be lucky to have. When the bad guys target him, he doesn’t blame her; he is proud of her abilities and fully backs her activities. There’s also a segment which highlights the misuse of the bulldozer: if you go against the powers that be, your home will be demolished — a sharp comment on current happenings.