Katharsis Films’ Bicycle Days is the story of a school-going boy, Ashish (Darshit Khanwe), who studies in Std. VI. While Ashish’s friends have all left the village school to go to the city school, Ashish’s father, Laxman (Mitul Gupte), asks him to continue in the village school. Ashish is unhappy as his friends have all gone to the city school. He feels worse when he cannot become the beneficiary of a free cycle scheme started by the local MLA as he (Ashish) stays close by. Ashish’s teacher, Shekhar Sir (Soham Shah), tries to sweet-talk the child and succeeds in bringing him out of his dejection. What happens thereafter?
Devyani Anant has written a story mainly for kids. The story is not interesting and is also slow. Her screenplay lacks the usual ingredients like comedy, entertaining drama, melodrama etc. in good measure. As such, it fails to engage the viewers. Her dialogues are alright.
Darshit Khanwe is okay as Ashish. Soham Shah is so-so as Shekhar Sir. Mitul Gupte is alright in the role of Ashish’s father, Laxman. Umesh Shukla lends ordinary support as Ashish’s grandfather. Ayushi Jain’s performance is okay as Ashish’s sister, Rashi. Nidhi Dewan lends ordinary support as Ashish’s mother, Urmila. Mudit Gunhere (as Sunil) and Aniruddh Thakur (as Mayank) do fair jobs. Rishabh Sahu (as Chetan), Arman Khan (as Pravin) and Anurag Chandel (as Kishan) are okay.
Devyani Anant’s direction is routine. Music (Keyur Bhagat) is fair. Saheb Shrey’s lyrics are alright. Ajay Kadwadkar’s choreography is so-so. Vivek Abhishek’s background music is fair. Kalyani Sunil’s cinematography is proper. B. Mahanteshwar’s editing could’ve been sharper.
On the whole, Bicycle Days is a film with weak box-office prospects.
Released on 14-4-’23 at PVR Oberoi Goregaon (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru Info Pluto Media Works. Publicity & opening: poor. …….Also released in C.P. Berar and C.I.