Film review: 'Bumm Bumm Bole', heart in the right place

Film: Bumm Bumm Bole
Cast:  Atul Kulkarni, Rituparna Sengupta, Darsheel Safary, Ziyah Vastani
Director: Priyadarshan
Rating: * *

 

Percept Picture Company’s Bumm Bumm Bole is the story of Khogiram Gwala (Atul Kulkarni), his wife, Kalyani (Rituparna Sengupta), and their two school-going children, Pinu (Darsheel Safary) and Rimjhim (Ziyah Vastani). Khogiram and Kalyani, living in a terrorist-dominated region, can barely make ends meet. To make matters worse, they lose their jobs. 

Khogiram sends his kids to good schools to secure their future. However, his poverty affects his kids too, as they can’t match the standard of living of their friends in school. One day, Pinu loses sister Rimjhim’s shoes. Scared of winning the wrath of his father and saddened by the fact that his father would not be able to afford a new pair of shoes for Rimjhim, Pinu shares his own shoes with her, even if that means reaching late to his school which begins after Rimjhim’s closes. 

Even as Khogiram tries to make ends meet, Pinu and Rimjhim are seized of their own little shoe problem. Finally, Pinu learns of a marathon to be held, in which the third prize is a pair of shoes. He wants to participate in the race and win only the third prize. 

Manisha Korde’s story has its heart in the right place and her screenplay does justice to it. But what emerges is a repetitive drama that moves on two tracks – one, highlighting the travails of Khogiram, and the other, dealing with the problem of the kids.

Although the scenes are very realistic, the film looks more like a television serial. It is cute in its own way as it delves into the psyche of two little kids but, at the same time, it is also depressing because it shows very little other than poverty and hardships. Little kids running a marathon of several kilometres looks rather unbelievable.  

Atul Kulkarni lives his role. He is extraordinarily natural and delivers an absolutely first-rate performance. Rituparna Sengupta comes up with a performance that is excellent. Darsheel Safary is mind-blowing. He expresses all the emotions with such a rare understanding that it is difficult to believe he is still only a child actor. Ziyah Vastani is very cute and acts with admirable ease.  

Priyadarshan’s direction is praiseworthy. He has treated the subject with the sensitiveness it deserved. The film could’ve done with far better songs.  

Bumm Bumm Bole is a fine film which deserves to be tax-exempted. No doubt, it would have worked better as a TV serial but considering that it is a low-budget film, it will not entail losses to its producers even if it doesn’t fetch them profits.