Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Nimrat Kaur, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, and Daivik Baghela
Director: Madhumita Sundararaman
Where to watch: Zee5
Rating: ★★★
Kaalidhar Laapata reminded me of Nana Patekar's 2024 film Vanvaas. Both revolve around an ageing man, prone to memory loss, left at a distant, crowded place by his own family, who are unable to look after him anymore. They take over his property, only to encounter a problem for which they need him back. Along the way, the man meets a younger companion who changes his outlook towards life. What makes things murkier is that Kaalidhar's director, Madhumita, had also directed the original Tamil film K.D. in 2019, and this Hindi version is an adaptation.
Kaalidhar Laapata movie review: Abhishek Bachchan is the star of this uneven film.
Kaalidhar Laapata stars Abhishek Bachchan as the protagonist, a man who has sacrificed his own life for his younger brothers and sister. They couldn’t care less about him and hatch an unsuccessful plan to kill him. Overhearing their contempt and sinister plans, he vanishes. Along the way, he meets Ballu (Daivik Baghela), a spirited young boy who lives happily all by himself. The boy teaches him how to be happy too, while his family begins their search for him with heavy hearts as their plans run into a roadblock. What happens next forms the rest of the story.
The story is simple, clean, and straight to the point, and given the rarity of such family-friendly content on OTT, it will likely appeal to viewers at home. Abhishek is the anchor of this ship, and he does a good job conveying the initial confusion and helplessness of KD, a man who loses the only home he has ever known. Themes of finding joy, being content with what one has, and sacrificing all find space in the story, which definitely has its moments.
While the pace is decent, the film stumbles in the equation between KD and Ballu. It’s endearing, no doubt, but at times it's a bit hard to digest that a boy who's roughly 10 has such profound advice to offer. Hindi films have often portrayed child characters as overly street-smart and wise beyond their years, and that doesn’t always translate well on screen. Kaalidhar Laapata suffers from the same. The viewer buys into the idea that an older man and a young boy become each other's compass in life, but the boy’s wisdom doesn’t quite click and feels stretched beyond a point. Daivik, as Ballu otherwise, plays his role very well.
Nimrat Kaur does well in a special appearance as KD's love interest. Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub plays Subodh, a man deputed by the local missing-found department to find KD. His role isn’t as impactful in the writing, though he does his best to make it work.
The music by Amit Trivedi is peppy and complements the story.
To sum it up, though uneven in parts, Kaalidhar Laapata ultimately celebrates life’s simple pleasures and the power of unexpected friendships. It’s a bittersweet but hopeful journey, watchable for the performances.
Rishabh Suri writes for the daily Entertainment & Lifestyle supplement HT City. From Bollywood to Hollywood, from Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam films, to OTT and television- he covers it all.
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