Sanvi Production House’s Sarla Ek Koti (Marathi; UA) is the story of a married couple and the lecherous villagers. Bhika (Omkar Bhojne) is married to Sarla (Isha Keskar) who is very beautiful. Since Bhika is a simpleton, the men of the village lust for Sarla. Bhika loves to gamble and one day, he loses wife Sarla in the gambling, for Rs. 1 lakh. The lecherous winner is excited at the prospect of keeping Sarla with him for a year if Bhika fails to give him Rs. 1 lakh within 10 days. Bhika draws a blank when he tries to collect the money by begging from the villagers. Since all the men of the villagers lust for Sarla, they agree to help him with the money he needs but subject to the condition that he would send Sarla to them for some months. Sarla now decides to expose the lecherous men. In doing so, she cooks up such a plan that she and Bhika end up becoming rich. What is her plan?
Nitin Sindhuvijay Supekar’s story is interesting but also very simplistic and rather unpalatable. His screenplay is good in parts only. While the comic portions are entertaining, the other parts don’t have the desired impact on the audience. Mahendra Khilare’s dialogues are alright but only at places.
Omkar Bhojne is average as Bhika. Isha Keskar does a fair job as Sarla. Chhaya Kadam performs well in the role of Bhika’s mother. Suresh Vishwakarma is okay as MLA Bhalerao Patil. Vijay Nikam lends average support as party head Daji. Ramesh Pardeshi (as the mukadam), Abhijeet Chavan (as police inspector Madan), Kamlakar Satpute (as Narayan), Kapil Kamble (as the scrap dealer) and Vanita Kharat lend routine support.
Nitin Sindhuvijay Supekar’s direction is ordinary. Vijay Narayan Gavande’s music and background score don’t add much to the film. Lyrics (by Guru Thakur and Vijay Gavande) are nothing to shout about. Sujit Kumar’s song picturisations pass muster. Nagraj Divakar’s cinematography is so-so. Nitin Borkar’s art direction is okay. Nitesh Rathod’s editing ought to have been sharper.
On the whole, Sarla Ek Koti will find the going at the box-office tough.
Released on 20-1-’23 at Plaza (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru AA Films. Publicity: so-so. Opening: poor.
