Entertainment
Rajkummar Rao & Sanya Malhotra try hard, but ‘Toaster’ is half-baked
There’s something instantly promising about a quirky comedy backed by actors like Rajkummar Rao and Sanya Malhotra, and Toaster is no exception, as it definitely meets this expectation of being a good movie, for the most part. Unfortunately, as time progresses, the fun, chaos, and excitement the film brought begin to diminish and leave you wondering how something that began as such an energetic and fun movie could end up being so laborious.
Storyline: A fun setup that overstays its welcome
Toaster starts off very well, giving the audience an introduction to the film, and the series of bizarre situations and quirky dialogues that pull you right in, promising a madcap comedy of errors. The first half is breezy, engaging, and even funny at times.
In the second half of the film, the energy of Toaster drops off significantly with the length of the scenes and lack of surprises throughout that no longer feel fresh or funny. The film seems to have missed the opportunity of being a crisp comedy that eventually becomes repetitive, and worse, predictable. You start seeing the twists coming from a mile away, which takes away the excitement and leaves you disengaged. At least for me, anyway.
Direction: Good intentions, predictable execution
The direction does get points for setting up the tone appropriately from the beginning. The comic timing, visual gags, and situational humour all work pretty well at the start; however, the issue here is that they cannot sustain it well throughout the film.
There are too many “we saw that coming” moments that detract from the impact of what you just witnessed. Instead of building off its original premise to create something new and different, the film settles into a pattern filled with clichés and mediocrity. Additionally, the loose narrative structure makes the movie seem longer than it is.
Performances: The real saving grace
If there’s one reason the film remains watchable, it’s the performances. Rajkummar Rao as Ramakant continues to demonstrate why he is one of the best actors working today. His performance is spectacular and adds so much depth and believability to scenes that would have had little merit otherwise.
Sanya Malhotra as Shilpa is just as good. Her character, with her quirky habit of solving crimes based on television dramas, adds a very unique element to the overall story. She commits fully to the role, and her performance will charm and win you over, even when the writing around her does not.
Archana Puran Singh as Pherwani aunty is almost unrecognisable and does a good job with what she’s given and fits into the role. Her character, however, has an underdeveloped arc and could have a stronger presence given she has the most twisted characters.
Farah Khan’s cameo in the film is like a breath of fresh air. She brings out her off-camera persona and is too good with her part, as she is naturally good with her role.
The supporting cast, including Abhishek Banerjee and Upendra Limaye, does blend well with the overall film and adds to the fabric of the film; however, they don’t get enough scope to truly shine.
Music & technical aspects
The background score complements the film’s tone in the first half, enhancing the comic chaos; however, during the later part of the film, it struggles to keep things engaging. Technically, the film is decent; nothing overshot the moon or was horrible to look at.
What works & what doesn’t
The film’s biggest strength is its first half and the strong performances of the actors. But the main weaknesses of the film are the inconsistent writing and the slow movement of the second half. At the beginning of the film, the comedy comes off as fresh (with the exception of a few instances), but it becomes repetitive through the end of the film. The predictability of the story in the end also weakens the film’s overall experience.
Verdict: A promising idea that burns out too soon
Although there were many ingredients that could have helped Toaster become a fun film (i.e., strong cast, creative premise, good beginning), the weak storyline and stretched second half turn it into a disappointing watch.
Even though the performances from the cast (especially Rajkummar Rao and Sanya Malhotra) were true to the character, they could not overcome the inconsistencies in the story throughout the film.
All in all, the film that starts with a bang but ends up feeling like a punishment, Toaster is best enjoyed in parts, not as a whole.
