Toaster movie review: Rajkummar Rao and Sanya Malhotra's film is pure, unadulterated fun

It’s been a while since we watched a good Bollywood comedy. And perhaps longer since a director has used the perfect comic timing of Rajkummar Rao in a movie script. Rao, who has featured in a spate of mostly unforgettable films in recent years, perhaps got bored with the repeated roles that were being offered to him year after year and decided to back a genuinely funny film called Toaster. Released on Netflix directly, it's the kind of film that makes you laugh out loud at mundanity, the everyday chaos that the Indian middle-class balances in life. Directed by Vivek Daschaudhary and produced by Rao’s wife, Patralekha, Toaster feels refreshing amid the heavy-duty pan-India action films that filmmakers are constantly feeding us.

What’s the story of Toaster?

Toaster is based on a story by Parveez Shaikh and with a screenplay by Shaikh, Akshat Ghildial and Anagh Mukerjee. The film has Rao playing Ramakant, a chronic miser who finds himself in a sticky situation after a series of deaths in his neighbourhood leads the police and his crime-news-obsessed wife, Shilpa (Sanya Malhotra), to become suspicious about a missing toaster. Everyone is eyeing the aforementioned toaster, from Ramakant, who wants a refund for it, to a budding politician, to a cop wanting to save his job, to the manager of an orphanage (Farah Khan in a delightful cameo). Everyone has a vested interest in the toaster, which Ramakant keeps harping on as his.

The series of deaths leads to more chaos and jeopardises Ramakant’s relationship with Shilpa. He also has to navigate a few older women who seem to be fixated on him.

What works and what does not

A comedy of mishaps and errors has to have impactful dialogues that land well and a tight screenplay. Thankfully, Toaster works in the two departments as Parveez Shaikh, Akshat Ghildial, and Anagh Mukherjee build the perfect premise for the film. The laughs are in plenty, and I particularly enjoyed a scene featuring a very high Abhishek Banerjee hallucinating his dead mother as he spots Rao dressed in a burqa. The scene is silly, but the two actors elevate it to a level that one can’t help but laugh out loud. The two actors have proven their perfect comic timing in the Stree franchise before and in Toaster too, compliment each other well. It's pure delight to watch Banerjee and Rao on screen doing silly things so convincingly.

While the writing is good, the actors are also well cast, each delivering to their abilities. Rao, as the chronic miser who is also a pathological liar, leads the comedy with his sheer talent and perfect comic timing. I prefer Rao’s comedic performances over his serious films. Make no mistake, he is good in almost all his films, but comedy is tough, and Rao excels in well-written comedies like Bareilly Ki Barfi and Stree. Giving him company are equally talented actors like Sanya Malhotra, Upendra Limaye, Seema Pahwa, Abhishek Banerjee, Farah Khan and Archana Puran Singh.

Malhotra, who has time and again proved her mettle in various films and performances, plays Shilpa effortlessly.

Puran’s character is crucial to the film. Her character arc in the film is interesting, showcasing a refreshing take on older women and their desires. And Singh plays the character well. However, not all scenes land in her case. But that’s a negligible flaw in an overall enjoyable film.

Final verdict

A suspension of disbelief is required while watching Toaster, a comedy that is feel-good and not necessarily logical, but it is still a thoroughly enjoyable film. Most importantly, it breaks the clutter of action films which are high on testosterone. Toaster is easy- breezy and keeps you smiling till the end.