Netflix | Maska Movie Review: Slightly butterly, and delicious

Maskaon NetflixDirector Neeraj UdhwaniCast Manisha Koirala Shirley Setia Prit KamaniRatingIts been what over a decade since Rajkumar Hiranis 3 Idiots opened in Indian theatres and nearly took the world by storm mdash drawing in the young over the Internet in countries such as Turkey China towards a mainstream Bollywood movieItll be probably take longer than a decade to dull its effectimpact on the said demographic that remains naturally sold on the bumpersticker Paulo Coelho idea of chasing success and dreams Which is all that lifes about Except a vocation that isnt creative by nature is hardly worth aspiring for True Looks like it to meThis film titled Maska literally butter derived from the popular Bombay snack Bun Maska seems a sobering antidote of sorts to 3 Idiots mdash as you watch the young boy Prit Kamani totally up for the job in here riding past a series of city hoardings extolling virtues of high ambition while he imagines a life of riches and fameWhat better way to get to that in Bombay than becoming a movie star right Thats exactly what he wants to be ever since he won a neighbourhood pageant which seeded in him the thought of how his good looks could take him further than his localityAs a starting point or germ of an idea this thought appears common for many firstgeneration moviestars by the way for one to dismiss it altogether The boy is Parsi This is then a Parsi film as it were that in itself is almost a subgenre for Hindi cinema To the rest of India the representation of Parsis in Bollywood or Hindi popculture might seem slightly disproportionate to their progressively dwindling share in Indias population there are about 70000 of them in all But thats because the Hindi film industry is based in Bombay and practically owes its origins to Parsis in many ways Besides its impossible to imagine Bombay its contemporary history and its proud institutions without the rich contribution of the community But which Bombay are we talking about specifically South Bombay inaround Colaba which is where the lead character has grown upHow is it different from the entertainment district in North Bombay Andheri et al where he intends to pursue films as a professioncareer As a coaspirant from out of town puts it in this movie For Bollywood folk Colaba is even further than Ludhiana Agree There are certainly more starryeyed folk from DelhiUPPunjab than Bombays own Parsi baugscolonies in Lokhandwala In fact look closely at an old man Savi Sidhu in this film who claims to be from Unnao in UP This actor if you recall played the police commissioner in Anurag Kashyaps Black Friday 2007 Last year this gentleman was found making his living as a security guard in the city Here Sidhu plays a waiterassistant at a legendary Parsi restaurantcafeacuteThis is the 100yearold cafeacute with its dedicated clientele and family recipes thats been bequeathed to the lead character in this picture while he has set his eyes elsewhere Heres what were looking at then Firstly a film that surveys Bombays unique but dying Parsi plus Irani cafe culture mdash as a heartwarming tribute doffing its hat to institutions such as Brittania and Jimmy Boy both of which feature on screenWatch the trailer of Maska hereThen a film about the Parsi community itself with a charming mom Manisha Koirala such a pleasure dead father Jaaved Jaaferi adding masala to the maska sweet neighbourhood lass Shirley Setiahellip As I said thats a subgenre of its own Of which my favourite film if you wanna know might be a tough tossup between Vijaya Mehtas Pestonjee 1988 Waris Husseins Sixth Happiness 1997 Homi Adajanias Being Cyrus 2005 and Sooni Taraporevalas Little Zizou 2008That apart this is a movie about modern showbusiness mdash acting auditions and Andheri As an audience rest assured this is the part that the filmmakers will have a natural grip over Its a world they know better than anyone you know Filmmaker Neeraj Udhwanis writing credits include films Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji Mere Dad Ki Maruti and shows Inside Edge and HomeThis is his first feature as writerdirector and by all means its sensibly written competently directed even if tonally some portions in its rhythm and beats feel more like television And never mind that you can also tell the end even before the films begunThere is still an inherent honesty and humanism in this movie that shines through and that somewhat reminds you of that other Bombay picture a relatively hidden gem Milind Dhaimades Tu Hai Mera Sunday 2016 thats available on Netflix Netflix is where Maska has directly dropped as wellSpeaking of which this might well be the best Netflix Indian original film that Ive seen in long Ruchi Narains Guilty being a close or distant second cant tell Given the platforms track record with critical acclaim lately I know thats not a huge compliment But a compliment nonethelessCatch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates