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Set in Pune, Sunil Sukhtankar-directed Outhouse positions itself as a small film with a big heart. It has the feel of the 90s tele-comedy when the narrative used to be uncomplicated yet heartwarming while the premises were simple. That works in its favour since it does make you chuckle, albeit occasionally. However, with Outhouse not managing to shrug off the dated tone and treatment, the movie falls short of being a warm hug on a wintry day that it aspires to be.
Sukhtankar, who is a long-time collaborator of Sumitra Bhave (who passed away in 2021), has chosen one of her stories as his latest directorial outing. The director duo of Sukhtankar-Bhave are known for several sensitive subjects through their movies such as Astu (2013) and Kasav (2017). Through Outhouse they wish to talk about the loneliness of senior citizens as well as leading an independent life on their own terms. Bhave has written the story, screenplay and dialogues of Outhouse.
While the basic premise of Outhouse is cute, it is too stagy to be entertaining. As Adima, Tagore is convincing when she is dealing with her publishers or sorting out issues with her daughter. But playing detective with her grandson and sneaking into other’s flat does not seem like her cup of tea. Agashe, who has also produced the film, lends some drama to the proceedings as an ill-tempered man with a beating heart.
The comedy, however, never fully explores the issues of the senior citizens or the family dynamics they have to navigate. Or, that of a young boy, who teams up with his grandmother for a fun mission and ends up growing up a bit in the end.
Outhouse
Director: Sunil Sukhtankar
Cast: Sharmila Tagore, Mohan Agashe, Sonali Kulkarni, Neeraj Kabi and Jihan Hodar
Rating: Two stars
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