A surrealistic depiction of dreams and demeanors
Once upon a time circus is the main mode of entertainment for every age group of people in our country. Among films, Mera Naam Joker by the legendary Raj Kapoor leads the list of circus-based films followed by Kamal Hassan’s Appu Raja where Kamal plays the character of a dwarf and there is Circus, the only circus-based TV serial of Shah Rukh Khan in 1989 which spiralled Khan into the big league. Now after three decades, Ram Singh Charlie has made his entry on streaming platform SonyLIV with a story having circus as its backdrop reminiscing all those golden moments.
Storyline
Due to shut down of the circus company, Ram Singh aka Charlie (Kumud Mishra) who is famous for his Charlie Chaplin act has to face the struggle of a different kind on the platform of life which is much bigger than the circus arena.
Ram Singh Charlie has to keep aside his dreams and start doing odd jobs and even becomes Jenny, the hen to earn his bread and butter. He finally settles down in more laborious work of rickshaw pulling on the streets of Kolkata as advised by his friend Shahjehan (Farrukh Seyer).
The dream of Charlie to start his own circus company gets dimmer as things get unfolded and Ram Singh faces the quirky situation of losing the creative fire inside him due to harsh lessons learnt from life which even made him addicted to alcohol.
Ram Singh who hates his previous stint in the circus now realizes the passion of his son Chintu (Rohit Rokhade) resulting in the resurgence of old Ram Singh which drives him to become Charlie Chaplin one more time propelling him to pursue his dream despite many challenges.
Performances of Artistes
Kumud Mishra excels in the dream role of Ram Singh Charlie and he can proudly proclaim that this is his best performance to date. His ability to convey feelings through his eyes and expressions just like the great Charlie Chaplin is an asset and he uses all those features effectively to put up a fabulous performance.
He is ably supported by Divya Dutta with a restrained performance as his wife Kajri, but in a very significant role as she is the driving force behind the major transformation in the life of Ram Singh Charlie.
It is heartening to see Lilliput after a long time who is known for many scintillating performances on the silver screen as well as on small screen.
All other actors, Farrukh Seyer, and Rohit Rokhade in particular have chipped in with remarkable performances while Sharib Hashmi who has done multitasking as a co-producer and co-writer who appears as Raghunath, the disciple of Ram Singh Charlie is quite impressive in a cameo.
Direction & Technical Aspects
The story writer and director Nitin Kakkar (not to forget the contribution of Sharib Hashmi) deserve all encomiums for his brave effort. Brave because it’s not an easy subject to handle and it needs a lot of detailing in terms of emotional quotient and compact screenplay so that the narrative does not get drifted away. His choice of Kumud for the main character of Ram Singh Charlie is spot on and it shows his confidence in this actor which proved to be a very wise decision.
Nitin’s subtle presentation of human emotions with nuances that rule human relationships are major highlights of this film. The agony, disappointment, and frustration experienced by a creative heart are captured brilliantly by him, and it’s not an exaggeration to say that Tod Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix might have taken a leaf or two from the characterization of Ram Singh Charlie for their Oscar-winning film Joker which was made much after this film.
The music by Troy Arif and Arijit Dutta is soothing and enhances the mood of the film while the cinematography of Subranshu Das and Madhav Salunkhe has brilliantly captured the life of Kolkata ensconced by vintage rikshaws, chawls, and narrow alleys in the great City of Joy.
The editing by Shachindra Vats is crisp and presented a well-condensed version that is suitable for an OTT release as it’s the length which matters a lot on these platforms and its run time of 104 minutes is a big plus for this film.
Verdict & Rating
Ram Singh Charlie is a simple film but big on emotions with finely honed out features of relationships and their importance in the life of an artist presented in a heart-touching manner. A not to be missed film for all the positivity it spreads with a tinge of stark reality during these troubled times.
