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First, the Recap:
There’s a question which passes through our minds more often than we might care to admit at times–what is it that actually DEFINES me? Daily we are assessing our place in the world, whether in small doses or via attempting to see the larger picture of just how our dreams might come into focus. Additionally, we can also grow attached to where we are, and to get taken away from that is something we may not wish to confront. For a boy named Ali (Rishabh Karmakar), it is almost the day where he and his family must move to Mumbai for his father Mohsin’s (Alok Chaturvedi) new job. Going through the necessary motions to prepare for the change of residence, Ali is secretly battling another challenge that has yet to even be fully realized or diagnosed. Concerned about losing his best friend Rajan (Om Kanojiya), the two decide upon a plan to rectify it, even as further revelations will shape their ongoing connection forever.
Next, my Mind:
Sometimes there are films that very much have an impact on you and then there are the ones that REALLY have an EFFECT on you, digging deep into your emotional core and bringing out the associated responses as such with utter intent and worthwhile purpose. For this critic, anyway, the 22-minute effort from writer/director/editor Bakul Matiyani and producer Neha Parti Matiyani struck exactly that level of tangible impression on me while screening it in advance of the project’s soon to be Texas Premier as part of the Kid-Friendly Programming at the 2022 DFW SAFF (where it since went on to win Best South Asian Short Film) sponsored by Toyota USA and hosted by Jingo Media Founder/Festival Director Jitin Hingorani and Artistic Director Ambica Dev. As I often shout out far and wide in reviews, the arena that is indie cinema is just so consistently attuned to offering works of quality filmmaking art like this, and it drives me further forward to be as much of a voice of support for these artists as I am able, because folks, this IS work that DESERVES to be seen!
Utilizing a deftly and stirringly potent combination of drama and comedic content, the narrative brings us fully into the life of a young boy having to learn the hard way about possessing a sense of pending loss paired with the understandable trepidation about soon experiencing new surroundings and having to discover his place in them as he and his family prepare to move away from the long-standing neighborhood they’ve called home. Yet, while this may sound on the surface like a solidly grounded but not overwhelmingly captivating premise, please pause and allow the story to unfold as it becomes SO much more and begins to concentrate not only on this, but more so on the essential linchpin–the boy’s existing condition that has drastically hampered his life and gone unchecked, not out of flagrant ignorance or apathy, but out of basic absence of available knowledge about it.
As we witness these indicators occur throughout the film’s runtime, our depth of empathy for the lead character’s plight grows more and more intense, and amidst this primary nucleus of events, it likewise takes into account other thematic roads that create a picture of youth through the bonds we form, the power of friendship, the frustrations of disability, being at the whim of parent’s lives, the changes that influence us, the battle for self-esteem, how we see ourselves and what we’re defined by, overcoming our hesitations when seeking something for ourselves, and learning to adapt to things in entirely new ways when we know we CAN be greater than our perceived shortcomings. This is all carried off in subtle but convincing manner as we try to piece together exactly what it is the boy must deal with in both his present circumstances along with what he’s always encountered in day-to-day existence. Needless to say, this all finds us lead into a finale that is nothing short of both emotively heartening and tear-jerking in its weight and awesomely executed delivery.
At this juncture, I cannot count how many times I’ve watched in absolute awe the sheer skill level and effective acting that younger and younger thespians are bringing to the screen and here once more is NO exception when speaking of Karmakar in his role as Ali, a boy on the precipice of change while already having to master a self-image and overall approach to his life that is anything but normal. Looking to all the elements that remind him of who he really is, gazing, dreaming, hoping, and aspiring to grow, Ali still finds himself deeply frustrated in how the family move is affecting him and an enduring, well-established friendship he doesn’t wish to lose. How this is handled, the revelations that get conveyed, and the courage Ali must muster to conquer his apprehensions while still designing the means to maintain hope for his state of being is nothing short of inspiring and incontestably moving, with Karmakar bringing such a beautifully, poignantly nuanced performance to the character that so wonderfully drives home the nature of who Ali is and wishes to remain. Excellent effort by such a young actor!
Primary supporting roles arrive first through Kanojiya as Ali’s best friend Rajan, the kind of close friend Ali requires as a kid trying to not feel like he’s being left out or looked differently at because of factors beyond his control. Rajan’s voice of reason, even comfort, and just outright devotion to his friend is so touching to see much less how Rajan’s own story ends up becoming a pivotal point that drives the film’s messages home in a fantastic and striking way. Chaturvedi plays Ali’s father Mohsin, a man we know works hard, desiring to provide for his family, and now must uproot them from their home to go to the big city for a new opportunity. His evident support for Ali is there, and it’s a place of trust, respect, and growth towards manhood that we can tell exists between them in the situations presented. Laxmi Rawat is Ali’s mother Shehnaaz who does her level best to maintain the order of the house as they prepare everything for the mov, a voice of ease for Ali and his quiet struggles.
Tahura Mansuri appears as Ali’s sister Aaliya, who like any sibling, tends to poke fun at or otherwise tease her brother, but yet we still know supports him. Additional appearances are made by Neeraj Singh as a apprentice photographer looking to impress his boss, played by Aseem Hattangadi, when Ali comes into the studio to have student ID and passport style pictures taken, which incidentally is quite a scene to watch as it unfolds, wholly containing that humorous/dramatic blend I alluded to above. So, in total, “Smile Please”, with its from-the-heart resolve accompanied by an atmospheric music score of soft guitars and strings, speaks with plausible and authoritative strength about the human condition and what it is to be or not to be defined by that which would seek to hinder us, physically or otherwise. Finding the means to do what it takes to subdue it and choosing to ultimately see the brighter side of things rather than let any sense of hopelessness dictate our actions and attitudes, it’s this perspective via the childhood innocence depicted here that we should all pursue and could benefit from a lot more in our often overly complicated, sometimes frantic lives in order to smile, outwardly or otherwise.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
The review sounds quite interesting catering to all age groups…to some experience n to some a lesson…eagerly awaiting its release…All d best 👌team…chak de fatte 👏👏👏👏👏