Stanley Ka Dabba

Amole Gupte had revealed to this reviewer back in early 2008 that he conducted auditions by stealth with children in their natural surroundings for Taare Zameen Par and the “people we found have brought such freshness to the acting and that is why the movie has managed to connect.” He can say the same about Stanley ka Dabba, a film that revolves around a very simple story, which is weaved around that special ritual everyone remembers from school – the recess and the tiffin box.

Stanley Fernandes (Gupte’s son Partho tugs at every heartstring with a superb portrayal of a sprightly and imaginative fourth standard kid) is the only one in his class who doesn’t bring a dabba much to the consternation of his Hindi teacher (Amole Gupte makes every little expression count) whose penchant for scavenging off other people’s lunch boxes has acquired almost pathological proportions. How Stanley manages to get back at him is the crux of the tale.

The story and its presentation in the cinematic form does a brilliant job of highlighting every nuance of life at school (naturally, there are shades of Taare Zameen Par, but the hue is distinctly different) and when every dabba opens, waves of nostalgia are sure to hit you. Stanley’s imagination which masks his melancholy is highlighted without the need for any flashiness and the school teacher roles (from the assured Divya Dutta as the English teacher to the lady who only stares sternly at the Hindi teacher in the staff room) are cast perfectly. The other children effortlessly don their roles without losing their spontaneity for even a moment and this ‘break free’ method of acting lends the film its flavour and its heart. Gupte takes special care to make sure that the film is always being visually narrated from the child’s perspective but keeps it so understated that you don’t even realise how you are drawn into Stanley’s world. Life bahut simple hai goes one of the songs in the film. It shows throughout and the simplicity is what will leave you spellbound.