Movie Review Ferrari Ki Sawari

 What's hot:

Boman Irani, as the unkempt grandpa, is dependable as always. From his conflicts to eccentricities, this actor can give lessons on how to remain in character.

What's not:

Sharman Joshi’s melodramatic outburst in the pre-climax doesn’t gel with the screenplay’s otherwise out-of-box thinking.

 verdict:

Ferrari Ki Sawari is a simple rise-of-the-underdog story of a talented boy who dreams of making it big in the world of cricket. What makes the narrative interesting is its less-taken route (through a Ferrari) and the ensuing eventful journey. The slick sports car gives that additional momentum to the movie thereby ensuring a roller-coaster ride.

RATING:

Director: Rajesh Mapuskar
Cast: Sharman Joshi, Boman Irani, Ritvik Sahore

Ferrari Ki Sawari is a simple rise-of-the-underdog story of a talented boy who dreams of making it big in the world of cricket. What makes the narrative interesting is its less-taken route (through a Ferrari) and the ensuing eventful journey. The slick sports car gives that additional momentum to the movie thereby ensuring a roller-coaster ride.

Kayo (Ritvik Sahore) is just a school kid but plays cricket like a professional. Destiny gives him a chance to make it to the Lords Stadium in London for which he would need hefty coaching fees. His father Rustom (Sharman Joshi), an RTO head clerk, who leads a hand-to-mouth living, fails to get any loan.
Meanwhile a local corporator’s son wishes for a Ferrari in his wedding for which he is willing to pay any amount. In a chance encounter, Rustom manages to get his hands on Sachin Tendulkar’s Ferrari which gets him the money. Trouble starts when the upright Rustom decides to give back the Ferrari.  

Cricket is the most common sport, Ferrari is the most uncommon car and together they make for a lethal combo in debutante Rajesh Mapuskar’s film. The sport is something that everyone can relate to and the sports car is something that every other person dreams of. At a broader level, the Ferrari also stands as a metaphor for that larger-than-life aspiration of any individual that might seem unachievable at the outset but isn’t entirely impossible.

Humour and drama go hand-in-hand in the film and the diverse genres never overshadow each other at any point. Such is the beauty of the screenplay penned by Rajesh Mapuskar and Vidhu Vinod Chopra that it makes you laugh in one scene and gets a lump in your throat in the very next. Rajkumar Hirani keeps the dialogues simple and lifelike and the lines leave an impact without the need of any dramatic punch. The minimalism with which Hirani sketches the story makes you easily identify with the protagonist’s dilemma. Despite the random and rampant ride that the Ferrari sets on, the narrative at no point complicates itself and steers away from any slapstick tendencies. 

Boman Irani, as the grandpa, who’s had a bitter past with the game of cricket and doesn’t approve of the sport anymore, makes for a conventional character. But the subtle scene where he faces his opponent from heydays (Paresh Rawal) who now heads the cricket board makes for a poignant moment. On the contrary, the Marathi corporator and his son, who contribute towards the comic track, lose their uniqueness after a while. The son’s fascination for Ferrari, the father’s quest for samuhik vivah and their mutual discord do not pass muster and, more or less, remain peripheral to the central plot.

The narrative largely has a very pragmatic approach so it is somewhat surprising that the film opts for a very convenient end. Also Sharman Joshi’s melodramatic outburst in the pre-climax doesn’t gel with the screenplay’s otherwise out-of-box thinking. Most importantly, after having a symbolic representation of Sachin Tendulkar throughout the film, it seemed quite unnecessary to get his body double in the last frame. However, what makes up for these minor inconsistencies is the fact that the film has a heart of its own and is able to strike a chord with the average audience.

Rajesh Mapuskar does succeed in extracting decent performances from the entire cast. Sharman Joshi, as an uncertain and shy guy with a constant smirk on his face that tries to hide his inner sorrows, skillfully underplays his part. Occasionally he seems too passive but is still likeable. Boman Irani, as the unkempt grandpa, is dependable as always. From his conflicts to eccentricities, this actor can give lessons on how to remain in character. Ritvik Sahore is neither sugary-sweet nor cacophonously cranky like most child actors and comes up with an endearing act. Aakash Dabhade and Deepak Shirke as the duo in search of the missing Ferrari are hilarious. Seema Bhargav and Satyadeep Mishra are competent. Paresh Rawal is impressive in his two-scene cameo.  

Ironically, this is a Ferrari that will zoom straight into your heart for its modesty. A beautiful watch!