‘AFLATOON’ (MARATHI) REVIEW | 21 July, 2023

Saha & Sons Studios, Ideas The Entertainment Company, Group M Motion Entertainment, Avadhut Distributor and Swarn Pat Katha’s Aflatoon (Marathi; UA) is comedy film.

Maria (Shweta Gulati) has to recover Rs. 10 crore from Ganesh D’Souza (Bharat Dabholkar) for a villa her father had sold him before his (father’s) death. However, Ganesh D’Souza refuses to pay Maria the contracted Rs. 10 crore because he is already in possession of the villa and has the property in his name. Three friends with disabilities come to Maria’s rescue. The three friends are the blind Shree (Siddharth Jadhav), the deaf Aadi (Paritosh Painter) and the mute Manav (Jayesh Thakkar). They hatch a plot to get Rs. 10 crore out of Ganesh D’Souza. What is the plot? Do Shree, Aadi and Manav succeed? Does Maria get the Rs. 10 crore owed to her?

Paritosh Painter has penned a story that is very basic. His screenplay appeals for the comedy but otherwise, the drama is too simplistic. Even the comedy makes the audience laugh at places only. What’s more, there are no scenes which are hilarious and which can, therefore, bring the house down with laughter. Consequently, the drama remains average only. Sandeep Dandvate’s dialogues don’t add much to the comedy because they aren’t up to the mark at several places.

Siddharth Jadhav does a lovely job as Shree. Paritosh Painter is quite alright as Aadi. Jayesh Thakkar performs reasonably well as Manav. Shweta Gulati is okay as Maria. Bharat Dabholkar lends decent support in the role of Ganesh D’Souza. Tejaswini Lonari lends nice support as police inspector Alia Sawant. Vijay Patkar’s (as police inspector Sawant) comedy doesn’t evoke the desired response. Johny Lever is alright in a brief role as Nawab. Resham Tipnis is average as the passenger in the bus. Jesse Lever doesn’t make an impact as Nawab’s step-son, Altaf.

Paritosh Painter’s direction is fair but he has not been able to make a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable film. Kashyap Sompura’s music is okay. Lyrics (by Mandar Cholkar and Pancham Sompura) are ordinary. Ranju Varghese’s choreography is alright. Kashyap Sompura and Malik Warsi’s background music should’ve been more effective. Suresh Deshmane’s camerawork is okay. Production designing (Nitin Borkar) is alright. Sarvesh Parab’s editing is fair.

On the whole, Aflatoon is too ordinary to make a mark at the box-office.

Released on 21-7-’23 at Plaza (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru AA Films. Publicity: so-so. Opening: dull.