A children's film that starts with a blue cake, flowers and a marriage proposal might not sound appetising. But to give it to Manikya Raju (director), the film is not all that bad as it looks at the very outset.
Maruti is another name for Lord Hanuman. And thanks to the posters of the film, one doesn't really need to have a three digit IQ to figure out that the film is essentially about the same mythological character.
The story of the film is narrated through flashback where one of the four friends (the girl at the receiving end of the marriage proposal mentioned above) starts talking about her friend Maruti and how he has helped her ever since she was a little girl.
The story: A basic Cinderella plot where the Lord Hanuman replaces the fairy godmother
The young girl Rameshwari played by Ritika Shrivastava witnesses an episode where the stone statuette of Lord Hanuman in a temple comes to life after a saadhu instigates it. Since then, Rameshwari becomes a believer and takes Lord Hanuman as her 'best friend'. The motherless little girl troubled at home by her stepmom's mother finds happiness with Lord Hanuman who by now has again gone back to being a stone statue.
One day, Rameshwari while going home falls prey to evil spirits residing in the forest she has to pass. Needless to say, this Cinderella too is saved by her fairy godmother – Lord Hanuman who now takes the human form of a little boy called Maruti (Erik A Nanda).
The usual Cinderella story follows where Maruti (fairy godmother prototype) keeps helping Rameshwari while the villain – her stepmom's mother, the evil witch Kokoi played by Sushmita Mukherji Bundela keeps planning on how to kill the little girl.
The film: A very good attempt
What makes this one better than the zillion other Cinderella renditions passed off as B'wood Children's films is the obvious effort that has gone behind it. The computer graphics look quite good (though why Lord Hanuman had to be greenish blonde we had no clue). The sets look well thought out. For example, the house where little Rameshwari lives looks extremely garish but is well suited for the characters that live there.
The young actors outshine the older counterparts
The young actors Ritika and Erik deliver convincing performances as the two main protagonists of the film. They almost outshine their older counterparts save for a Sushmita Mukherji who by now has mastered the art of playing the quintessential Cruella De'Vil prototype.
Chandrachur Singh delivers a good enough performance in his so called 'comeback' venture. He plays Rameshwari's father and suits the role of a quiet, unassuming good man.
The music is sweet but is not as catchy or energetic as a children's film perhaps demands.
Maruti Mera Dosst comes across as a children's film and not a mytho that is preachy or boring. It also comes across as a project made with a lot of heart and effort. But then again, the film is extremely weak on 'star power' or 'glitz'. The Indian audience, however film starved for the past few months due to the producers-multiplex owners’ dispute would probably like to spend money on something with a little more glam quotient.
VERDICT: Take your kids if they are not already watching the many Disney DVDs at home.
RATING: 2/5
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