What Is The Story About?
Performances?
The performances in Lantrani are good across the board. Johnny Lever is stellar as always. He brings gravitas to his story, more even than Jisshu Sengupta’s anguished undertrial act. The latter is good in his role too.
Jitendra Kumar and Nimisha Sajayan make a heavy-duty pair – both are excellent in their roles. Boloram Das is efficient as the editor of a news channel on the verge of shutting down amidst the Covid-19 havoc. The rest of the cast in each of the stories lend commendable support.
Analysis?
Quirky, whimsical and engaging – Lantrani on ZEE5 is all these and more. Written and created by Durgesh Singh, the ‘Gullak’ stamp is all over the anthology film — small town milieu, idiosyncratic characters, subtle humour and unconventional situations. To top it all, the eclectic cast delivers precisely what the stories need.
All these combine to make Lantrani quite an unconventional but engaging watch. The anthology is not everyone’s cup of tea, mind you. For people who prefer their content straightforward and uncomplicated, with a defined start and end, Lantrani will be too unorthodox for their liking.
For one, each story ends on a bizarre note. The first, with Johnny Lever and Jisshu Sengupta, is still within the boundaries of accepted storytelling. But the remaining two are eccentric and eclectic. Both brim with satire and humor in equal parts.
‘Dharna Mana Hai’ is more political and social satire. The couple at the center of the story conveys more with their silence than they ever could with words. Their placards, heavy with meaning, are an entity by themselves. The ending is ambiguous, and leaves one scratching their head in confusion.
On the other hand, ‘Sanitized Samachar’ brings a smile to your face more often than not. And that is why the fact that Bhaskar Hazarika, director of the dark Assamese film ‘Aamis’, has helmed the humour-laden ‘Sanitized Samachar’ is quite surprising, to say the least. The goings-on in the story are fun to watch, even though they too harbour hidden meanings.
Most importantly, Lantrani is like a breath of fresh air in today’s times of dark, edgy, gory and expletives-loaded content. Despite its message-driven stories, and subtle sarcasm hidden in their depths, the anthology is light and refreshing viewing.
Music And Other Departments?
Highlights?
Quirky and whimsical feel of the storytelling
Unconventional stories and characters
Engaging to watch
Drawbacks?
A bit confusing as to what exactly the creators want to convey through the unorthodox stories, especially the Covid-centred one.
Did I like it?
Yes, but with reservations.
Do I recommend it?
Yes, but again – with reservations.
Lantrani Movie Review by Binged Bureau
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