Vivek Daschaudary-directed Toaster is out on Netflix. The dark-comedy film is produced by Rajkummar Rao (who’s also the protagonist), alongside his wife Patralekha and Tarun Bali. Is this seemingly quirky film that also stars Sanya Malhotra worth your time? Read on to know.
Spoilers ahead!
Story: Toaster revolves around Ramakant (Rajkummar Rao), an extremely stingy man. He meticulously accounts for every single penny and keeps track of every single possession. The rollercoaster ride in his life begins when an “expensive” toaster slips through his fingers, simultaneously throwing his entire world into chaos.
Review: The film opens with a shocking and intriguing scene that foreshadows events yet to unfold in the narrative. It quickly shifts to showcase Ramakant and his helpless miserly habits, wherein he can be seen bickering with a customer care representative for paying merely Rs 6 extra on his phone bill. In another scene, he appears to grab onto a chain attached to the back of a truck while seated on his scooter amidst heavy traffic, hoping to cover some distance without having to start his vehicle, to save on fuel costs. It quickly gives you a gist of the length this person would go to save every single penny.
The entry of a toaster in the narrative acts as a catalyst for a mad ride. Ramakant and his wife, Shilpa (Sanya Malhotra), gift a toaster worth Rs 5,000 at a wedding; however, the wedding never actually takes place. Consequently, Ramakant decides that he must reclaim his “precious” toaster. With utter shamelessness, he demands his toaster back from the very people who had hosted him as a guest just the previous night. He fails to retrieve his toaster, but he certainly receives a healthy dose of scorn. He discovers that his beloved toaster has already been charitably given to someone else. Unconcerned by the humiliation, he remains focused on the toaster, and from this point on, his obsession escalates to such an extreme that it leads to a grave mishap.
The idea of objects making life miserable has been mostly seen in horror or adventure films. From the “creepy doll” in Annabelle to the “horcruxes” in Harry Potter, the things declared to be cursed. While this “damned” toaster is not, in reality, cursed in any way, one man’s excessive stinginess and obsession transform a simple kitchen appliance into something that appears unlucky as it becomes inextricably linked to multiple lives and a series of deaths.
Writer Parveez Shaikh, who originally penned the story, collaborated with Akshat Ghildial and Anagh Mukherjee on writing the screenplay. The last time an unconventional narrative managed to leave me simultaneously confused and utterly impressed was the SS Rajamouli-directed film, Eega (released in Hindi as Makkhi). Although Toaster doesn’t quite reach the same league as the 2012 Telugu masterpiece, the writing behind a film like this still deserves commendation. It manages to construct an entire feature film around a single inanimate object, while simultaneously infusing it with an abundance of comedic elements.
The trio has tried hard to create a dark-comedy world, where absolutely everything that can go wrong, does go wrong, and even then, you don’t feel bad for anyone but only laugh at them and their situation. Although the toaster is primarily closer to Ramakant’s life, a parallel storyline unfolds alongside it and makes it even more significant. The writing is not top-notch, but decent enough to be watched due to the clever presentation by the director. The location, the quirky characters appear to be used smartly, while the continuity between sequences doesn’t let you get lost amid such a whirlwind of events.
The actors are the soul of the movie. Even after playing quirky characters in many films, Rajkummar has showcased a new range in his craft with a different take on comedy roles in this film. Sanya brings a delightful charm to her presence, and her few action sequences even evoke memories of Dangal; however, the narrative does not give her character many opportunities to shine. Upendra Limaye, Seema Pahwa, Abhishek Banerjee, and Jitendra Joshi perform their roles admirably, contributing to the story well.
However, it’s Archana Puran Singh who commands your attention more than anyone else. Her character arc is the most creative in the entire film, and she does complete justice to the role. Meanwhile, Farah Khan’s hilarious extended cameo and Patralekha’s tiny appearance end up becoming the cherry on top of a delicious cake.
Verdict: Toaster is not the film of the hour or the funniest movie of the year, but the engaging world and the quirky characters in this dark-comedy drama make it light and enjoyable.
