Shala

I missed the movie when it was released, watched it now when the national awards were declared, the movie says that it will take you back to schools. I must admit, it really takes you back to those school days. A very nice movie, excellent direction, brilliant background score and nice star cast, each and every character looks perfect for the role and they have acted it so well, that you get stuck with them. I will recommend for all those who really want to visit there school days again, its something different not those regular school movies we may have seen. I am giving 10 or 10 for Shaala, it really took me to those golden days, which I will miss forever in my life. I must say that any one who went to school will relate this movie with there real school life, this movie is shows the 9th, 10th std students. They have shown it so well, even we use to behave in similar way as shown in the movie. It is the age when you enter a different world! Hats off to the Shaala movie team. Its a worth watch!!

Everyone has done their part perfectly.

Amazing story line, acting and direction.

The story is about school life highlighting mostly about attraction taking place between students at this tender age.

There is a boy who likes a girl and approaches her in incognito way. There is guardian to this boy worth mentioning.

There is another boy whose interests are all well known by his friends. He is weak at studies.

There is a scene where students play game to recognize movie names reminding me of school days.

All these together contribute for a joy some ride.

Is this film meant to be just a nostalgic journey into the 80's through the eyes of a teenager or is it a commentary on the era?

If it is a nostalgic journey, that part is shown very well. The teenage crushes, the school's day to day activities and the teachers. Anyone in his 40's can relate to this.

But I think the writers and director wanted to comment on the emergency imposed and the various fallouts of the situation. Probably it is the censor board or the director himself things are not clear.

Being a Marathi speaker sometimes things went over my head. The subtitles were also not helpful.

Overall a good watch.

The name can be misleading. Shala is not about kids going to school nor is it a children's film, even remotely. All that it has in common with Stanley ka Dabba begins and ends at the animated sequence that plays with the opening credits. Shala takes you to the next level: while you are still at school and your friends are important, you step onto the threshold of the adult world and start making sense of it.

Most actors in the film have delivered a restrained performance. Anshuman Joshi emotes wonderfully as the protagonist Mukund Joshi. Ketaki Mategonkar who plays Shirodkar does a contrived act initially but entices with her charm in no time. Joshi and the other boys, particularly Mhatre (Ketan Pawar) are required to dabble in a range of emotions as they come-of-age: love, fear, rage and rejection. They do it naturally and convincingly.

Do not give Shala a miss. It is a self-assured and grounded debut by a filmmaker which offers a lesson or two in simple storytelling straight from the heart, complete with soulful music. It is one of those gems that Marathi cinema throws up once in a while; totally localized in flavor yet universal in appeal.