Shastry Viruddh Shastry

What a gem of a movie on Netflix! Kudos to directors Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee, who are known to have delivered many great films in the Bengali film industry. Shastry Virudhh Shastry, a remake of Bengali film Posto, is bound to touch a chord with those dealing with modern-day parenting. There are many Indian households where grandparents pay an active role in raising children, while the parents are slogging it off to win bread for the family. This particular tale is about what happens when these parents decide to take the child with them abroad. By now, the grandparents' world has already started revolving around the child. The matter leads to court and despite living in the same house, the parents and the grandparents fight it out legally. An innocent film that is rooted in reality, Shastry Virudhh Shastry is a must-watch this season!

While it may not touch on the highs of a family drama with comparable themes, the story does a pretty good job of putting forth the basic principles of two different ideologies-the conservative and progressive-in the most sincere way possible.

The most impressive thing is that the writing does not take any particular side, nor does it show bias or tend to project partiality; it criticizes both, judging them on equal grounds.

However, the drama lacks the punch and efficiency of such narratives, and as a result, the fruits it bears in the end leave a half-baked, inutile impression.

A tighter, more productive screenwriting could have fixed this issue.

There are many an instance where the court has granted custody of a minor to grandparents over parents and this possibility, in a nutshell, sums up the premise of Shastry Virudhh Shastry on Netflix. Though I believe there's no replacement for parents' love, here the inability of the parents to take full control of their lives comes with a dollop of logic. That's where Bengali directors Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy score. Amidst a bunch of mindless, logicless stories, this film shines like pure diamond. It's quick to create the modern way of living on reel and sucks you into the problems that come with it. I don't blame the set of parents at all as I know the stressful lives we lead nowadays, but I don't see any problem in the grandparents too wanting to stay with their grandson. We have to understand that everyone has a role to play in bringing up a child. And ultimately, he should not feel deprived.

Shastry vs Shastry has completely won my heart. What a magnificent film on such a difficult subject where parents and grandparents stake claims on a child and the latter, bound by love, doesn't know what he really wants. The child actor Kabir Pahwa is a revelation in himself and is believable when he's clinging onto his grandfather's shirt or observing his parents at the dinner table. Despite being small, he came across as a very good actor. Being a big fan of Paresh Rawal, I truly felt this film adds a lot to his already-beautiful filmography. What a heart-warming performance as a grandfather, who is strict to his own son, but can move mountains for his grandchild. The film delves into a middle-class home and brings out many a wonderful moment. I was particularly moved by the mother's dilemma. Played gracefully by Bengali actor Mimi Chakraborty, the character embodies modern-day motherhood.

Story of a legal battle between grandfather and the father to claim custody of a child when parents decide to shift overseas. Expected it to be more intense n more emotional but it was quite a okayish drama. Highlights struggle of urban working parents to look after their child. Definitely could have been more better. But worth a one time watch provided you like very slow family story. My ratings 5/10!

Story of a legal battle between grandfather and the father to claim custody of a child when parents decide to shift overseas. Expected it to be more intense n more emotional but it was quite a okayish drama. Highlights struggle of urban working parents to look after their child. Definitely could have been more better. But worth a one time watch provided you like very slow family story. My ratings 5/10!