Chillar Party (Movie Review)

Chillar Party is a small film with a big heart where a kiddo gang shows more maturity than the adult species and a stray dog inspires you to be human.

The film opens with each child character being individually introduced through their traits, helping you familiarize with the Chillar Party from Chandar Nagar society. When Fatka enters the society as a domestic help with his mutt-mate Bhidu, after the initial friction, the boy and his dog become inseparable members of the kiddo gang.

Soon a scheming politician comes up with a drive to get rid of stray dogs from the city which endangers the life of Bhidu. The society members want Fatka to leave with his dog but the Chillar Party stands up in support of their friend. Together they attempt every possible trick from signature campaign, chaddi march to spreading public awareness to save their friends.

The reason Chillar Party connects with you instantly is because it is honest and has its heart in the right place. The child actors are neither sugary sweet nor cacophonously cranky. They are pleasantly natural and absolutely believable. The chemistry and charm of the society kids bring back memories of Mani Ratnam's Anjali (1990). Every kid in Chillar Party has an interesting characterization that gives them a unique identity.

Writer-director Vikas Bahl and Nitesh Tiwari attempt to delve into the psyche of the child protagonist and thereby we get to see the entire film from the children's viewpoint. The writing is imaginative exploring both, the naughty and the innocent side of nascent years. Scenes showing the society kids being influenced by Fatka's tapori lingo or the ones where the Chillar Party is trying to get a grip on news headlines are hilarious.

But while it primarily works as a fun film, Chillar Party has some very poignant moments that bring a lump in your throat. The scene in initial reels where Fatka is in search of his dog and their subsequent reunion can make the stonehearted go soggy. The unadulterated camaraderie amongst the kids and their selfless solidarity simply touches your heart. Also the heroism that they exude is so endearingly effective as compared to the synthetic bravery of adult actors.