Zwigato Movie Review: The Perfect Portrayal Of The Gig Economy | Filmyhype
Cast: Kapil Sharma, Shahana Goswani
Director: Nandita Das
Where to Watch: In Theaters
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 3.5/5 (three and a half stars) [yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Zwigato is the third directorial venture of Nandita Das after the films Firaaq and Manto. Zwigato was initially set to be made as a short film but was later developed into a feature film. There are two major food delivery companies in India. Zomato and Swiggy. If you mix these two, then a word will be formed Zwigato. Nandita Das, who made Firaaq and Manto, has made a film with the same name. It is produced by Applause Entertainment. In this, Kapil Sharma has become a food delivery boy. The picture has been screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). It was also praised all around. Now it has been released in theatres. Let’s see whether it is worth praising or not.
Zwigato Movie Review: The Story Plot
Manas Singh Mahato, a resident of Jharkhand. Lives in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Earlier he was a manager in a watch factory. The Pandemic took away the job. Now works in a food delivery company named Zwigato. Delivers food from skyscrapers and buses to temples. Also goes to such places, where the delivery people are not allowed to climb in the lift. On one hand the struggle of his food delivery and on the other hand the struggle of life. He is survived by his wife Pratima. There are two children and an old mother. There is a shortage of money. Pratima wants to work. But the ego of the mind does not allow this. Here is the story. Now let’s get to know some good and less good things about the picture. But before that, there is nothing like a spoiler in this movie. So don’t worry at all that I have told you everything. All of this has been shown in the trailer itself. Now coming to the point.
The story begins with Manas Mahato’s dream, where he sees a beautiful girl in his dream as well as worried about the job form and then his eyes open. Due to the havoc of Corona, Manas lost his job in the factory. Somehow after surviving for 8 months, he gets a job as a delivery boy in a food delivery app. Manas and his family have come to Orissa from Jharkhand just in search of a better job and life, but little did they know at that time that there was no end to their challenges in life. He is survived by his wife Pratima (Shahana Goswami), an old and sick mother and school-going children.
While working as a delivery boy, he realizes that his life has become a machine due to deliveries, ratings and hustle and bustle. His wife Pratima goes to work as a massage therapist to support the family and her husband financially, but she does not get the same success there. Then she wants to join night duty as a sweeper in a mall, but Manas is against it. Manas, who stays away from alcohol and cigarettes, gets his ID blocked and is fired from his job without hearing his side when one of his customers falsely accuses him of delivering under the influence of alcohol. What will Manas do now for the survival of his family? Will his wife Pratima do the work of cleaning the toilets and bathrooms of the mall? Will this family be able to survive? You will find answers to these questions in the film.
Zwigato Movie Review and Analysis
Director and actress Nandita Das’s third film after Firaaq and Manto take a dig at India’s gig economy. A food app delivery boy’s ratings show the paradox of incentives and performance. It also touches upon issues such as gender discrimination within the family, where Pratima’s salary as a cleaner as compared to that of delivery boy Manas is indicated in the growing family discord. Nandita, on the other hand, reflects on the class and caste divide when Shahana Goswami, posing as a masseuse, is instructed to use the service lift in a building for the wealthy. The angle of labor and unemployment has also been included here. In the film, there are laborers, therefore they are forced, or rather, they are forced, therefore they are laborers like there are meaningful dialogues, which touch the heart. The difference between rich and poor is also shown, where the rich can easily pay for an avocado, while a common man has to struggle for a week to earn the same price.
The film touches upon several social and economic tragedies, but the film’s biggest problem is that it is extremely slow. The first part moves at a very slow pace and there is a sudden interval. You start the second part with the hope that there will be some twist in the story, but the second half also does not pick up the pace. Yes, the ending is happy, but it also appears suddenly, and you cannot relate to it. Cinematographer Ranjan Palit has managed to capture the lives of common people through the streets of Bhubaneswar. In the story written by Nandita Das and Sameer Patil, an attempt has been made to show unemployment, exploitation of employees by the company, religious discrimination, and the gap between rich and poor. He has depicted the difficulties faced by the delivery boy in his life through different episodes.
For example, whether the order is small or big, they will get a fixed incentive only. He has chosen the post-Corona era, in which he is repeatedly asked to wear a mask. Someone asks to keep the food packet in the basket itself. Manas’ emotions have got beautiful expressions in the dialogue in the film. He is helpless, that’s why he is a laborer. The story completely focuses on Manas. However, the bonding of Manas with the mother is not visible. Nandita has not been able to deeply reflect on the problems of the lower middle-class family. There was a greater need to raise the senses in the film. Didn’t even understand the justification for putting the scene of the train.
The protests of leader Govindaraj (Swanand Kirkire) seem forced into the story. In the film, Manas is shown to be quite desperate. The ending of the film has been kept very simple on the lines of Show Must Go On i.e. Jeevan Chalne Ka Naam Hai, while watching the story, you expect to see it at a different turn. However, cinematographer Ranjan Palit has tried to depict the real life of Bhubaneswar through his camera rather than the beautiful locations. Kapil made his acting debut with Abbas Mastan’s film Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon. After that, along with producing the film Firangi, he also acted in it. The film proved to be a dud at the box office.
Zwigato is Kapil’s third film as an actor. Here he is seen in a serious role other than his comedy image. Nandita has been saying that she sees a common man in Kapil. Kapil has traveled from ordinary to special, but his comic style is always visible on the screen. Shahana Goswami’s performance as a housewife is commendable. From the problems of the common woman to her diction, she has done an excellent job. Gul Panag, Swanand Kirkire and Shayoni Gupta in guest appearances are unable to give a special twist to the story. The good thing about the film is that no song has been forced into it.
It is said that cinema is good because its subtext is strong. What else can you see within what is being shown in terms of subtext? You can see a lot within Zwigato. What is visible in front, there is some other plus behind it. Reed is a case of between the lines. Dialogues are less in the film, and scenes speak more. The film shows the difference between upper-lower classes. The social juxtaposition is very good in this. For example, in one place Pratima gives tiffins to her children for school. On the other hand, Manas has gone to deliver to the principal’s house in the school where the children study. He gives the food to the principal’s son, and he keeps that food in his school bag as a tiffin. The labor market is visible in between. Some insensitive people are seen eager to make a video of a man burnt in the fire. And all such sequences, which have nothing to do with the story. But definitely from society.
Social commentary seems to have been forcibly inserted on many occasions. A man comes running to Manas to ask if delivery can be done by bicycle. Some things here look artificial. Kapil is driving the car, and that man is running behind. In one such place, a man named Aslam is scared to go inside the temple and deliver. Manas goes to deliver instead. Returning, Aslam tells him, Brother, you have saved today. Agreed, there is fear, but this fear seemed a bit forced. Zwigato is not just a social drama. This is also the story of a family. How a family is living with fewer resources. This is the story of almost 70 percent of Indian families. This is also a good representation of the relationship between a man and a woman. At one point, Pratima learns why Manas is upset. But she does not ask Manas about this. It is believed that the film touches many tragic muggles as well.
The art department has done a great job. Everything from the mat, sewing machine, and small utensils is in the right place. Everything looks real in the frame. Many times it happens with such films that the production design does not match the reality on the ground. Not so here at all. You will not find a single thing for which you feel it is a bit too much. Very nice work. There is one thing in the direction of Nandita Das she has not become vocal everywhere. Said something and left too much for the audience. Like there is a scene. Manas and Pratima are trying to make a bike run faster than the train. What a lovely scene! The person sitting on the ground longs to touch the sky. This is what Tragic muggles do.
Kapil Sharma is opposite to his image in the film. The man who laughs all the time is serious here. Kapil has captured the soul of the role of Manas. He has well represented the dilemmas, hesitations, and humor of the common man immersed in sorrow. But his way of speaking seems artificial on many occasions. Especially in the first scene, as if he has not been able to catch the tone of the character yet. He does acting very well. Expressions are also apt. But his Jharkhandi accent is a bit artificial. Shahana Goswami is in the role of Kapil’s wife. I became his fan. Such awesome work. Even in her laugh, there is the hesitation of a middle-class woman. As I have seen my mother in my childhood. That’s exactly how Shahana got into it. Now, what more can I say in praise of this? There is a scene where the neighbor tells Shahana about the roti maker. How to put a circle in it and it will make a perfectly round roti. There is the innocence with which Shahana asks: “Roti Phulega Bhi!
Zwigato Movie Review: The Last Words
After watching this film of Nandita, there is a possibility that some people’s perspective will change towards the delivery boy’s rental, which is an important part of their work, for which they request every customer. The film also represents the community of laborers. The character of the film, Manas is also a laborer. Parallel to his story, the story of the factory workers also runs. How some workers are struggling, and others don’t care about them. They must take care of their family. Nandita Das had less time, so I thought she wanted to show a little bit of everything in one film. Which is the least good thing about this film.
