Fatafati
Introduction
It is Friday and a start of another weekend but this time the weekend is a little quiet in terms of its new releases, and almost like an extension of the weekdays. But despite that, I still have a bunch of releases to look forward to. With that, I finished watching the new Bengali film Fatafati which is now streaming on SonyLiv. While I did miss out on its theatrical release, I still had my eyes set on its OTT release given that I have adored Ritabhari Chakraborty and her body of work right from Pari when I had spotted her for the first time.
I was lucky enough to interview Ritabhari prior to the release of the film(do read that full interview on Popcorn Reviewss) wherein she did speak at length about the social media and the trolls that come with it and I definitely agree with her views. We live in an era of socia media wherein everyone is so prim and proper that, the moment when someone slightly different in their appearance enters the arena, that person is targeted. This is particularly true for people who are body shamed almost without caring about their feelings or medical condition.
It further infuriates me when certain shows also stage their act by fat shaming each other, all in the name of comedy. What that results in is low self-esteem and low confidence instead of being happy in the shape of form that we find ourselves in. It is nothing wrong to take care of your body but at the same time, it is imperative to not get affected by all the chatter around you. As they say, the world will like you, once you begin to like yourself. You are unique and important and this message is to you reading this review! And Fatafati did try and address this stigma in what seemed like a breezy outing, does it manage to impress….lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
Fatafati(a clever word play in the film) follows the story of tailor from the suburbs of Kolkata who is often looked down upon due to her weight, but strives to find her feet in the fashion designing world and the social media. Will she succeed? The story here is nice and breezy with a poignant message right throughout the narrative. My main issue here was with its screenplay standing at a shade above 2 hours which is simplistic with its conflicts and solutions. That said, it still does enough to create some beautiful moments throughout the screenplay.
We have seen earlier in films like Double XL wherein the ‘weight’ issue has been addressed. The problem in such narratives isn’t about the messaging which is on point. The problem is often the surface level writing that just doesn’t go deep into the psyche of the principal characters and in the process of addressing the issue, ends up as a comedy at the expense of the core drama. Fatafati doesn’t exactly become a comedy of sorts which is great news but neither does it dwell deeper into the psyche of the protagonist. This drama lies somewhere in the middle, although it does account for a breezy and an important watch.
The drama opens with the introduction of the protagonist whose weight issues are addressed in the very first scene. While she has a loving and caring husband and an understanding mother-in-law and brother-in-law, the people around her often do ridicule her for her weight. This includes her neighbour, a slim social media influencer who doesn’t miss a chance to downtrod her. There was a principal flaw right here given how early the lines between right and wrong were drawn through the characters as opposed to leaving the area grey which would have further enhanced the impact.
The flaw in the writing lies in creating subtle conflicts between characters that do not quite linger on for a while. The resolution is provided almost immediately as opposed to dwelling a little in the narrative. But this is instead compensated with some beautiful and heartwarming moments in the screenplay that allow the viewers to be invested in the drama and its characters. The situations created in the drama aren’t bad at all and they make you feel for the characters throughout the narrative. The tactful rise of the protagonist could have been better structured with a little more intent with respect to being ambitious. It did seem far too one-dimensional but the tactful moments continued to rescue the film.
The writers do well in controlling the melodrama by consistently keeping the drama light and frothy. Along the way, the side effects of a crash diet or even that of social media are nicely highlighted. The events leading up to the final act are heartwarming with all the right kind of emotions dominating the narrative. And while the final act might appear to be underwhelming, I was impressed with the messaging that had a liberating feeling written all over it. Overall, while the screenplay is a mixed bag, it does make for an important watch pertaining to an important issue. If only the writing was a little more sharper and purposeful, the impact of the film would have been greater.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are nicely written and make for a sweet impact wherein it did put a smile on my face. One of the strongest aspects of the drama is the music. The songs are melodious and filled with a plethora of emotions which deserve a playlist of their own. I shall be revisiting the songs pretty soon. Even the BGM works wonders for the drama by being a distraction for the inconsistent writing. The cinematography and editing are good as well. The costumes play an important part in the drama and they contribute to a significant impact in the drama especially related to a few characters. Director Aritra Mukherjee does a pretty good job by keeping things light and frothy. He is able to create heartwarming moments that did make for a warm little watch.
Performances
The performances are excellent here. Deboshree Ganguly and Sanghasri Sinha Mitra have their moments to shine. Asmee Ghosh, Loka Loknath and Soma Banerjee are first rate. I quite liked the presence of Swastika Dutta who is quite good as Biki. It was a pity that your character was coated with a single paint that portrayed her as a villain. Abir Chatterjee as Phullora’s husband is wonderfully understated and quite affable overall.
But the film does belong to Ritabhari Chakraborty who is excellent as Phullora. You can clearly make out that a lot of effort has gone in preparing and portraying this character and it would never have been easy. And it is the simplicity that makes her character heartwarming. Her body language and mannerisms are on point wherein she is able to lift an inconsistent script and save the day at the end. And her screen presence was outstanding as well!
Conclusion
Despite its flawed writing, Fatafati is a simplistic tale featured around fat shaming with a poignant message at the end that makes for a good one-time watch. Yet, this watch is important in the times that we live today. Available on SonyLiv.