Hills That We Climbed: Chopsticks (film)

I happened to watch ‘Chopsticks’ (2019) which is a Netflix film. I got to see Abhay Deol after a long time and he has given a great performance in this. But the showstopper has been Mithila Palkar, who has given a stunning performance in this movie. I got to see her first time on screen through this movie. The movie is directed by Sachin Yardi and it has come out so very well.

The humor, the timing, the funny moments, and the touching moments are captured very well. You are going to stop breathing at the touching moments in the movie which are absolutely heart-warming.

Although this movie is categorized as ‘comedy’, I think this is a good movie with an effective nationalistic and social message too.

The movie starts with Nirma (Mithila Palkar) taking a group of Chinese tourists to visit Mumbai slums. At the end of the trip, she makes a statement to impress them saying, “This is the only place in the world which makes more counterfeit items than China”. The Chinese nationals are startled and Nirma soon realizes her mistake. In next scene, we found that Nirma is buying her new car. And at that moment, you would get to realize how this movie is showing another side of India effectively: brave working women having created their legitimate status in society; and fighting each day to sustain it.

At her workplace, Nirma has mostly female colleagues. Even her boss is a female. And she is a “toxic” boss, very clearly showing that in toxic work environment, even women employees contribute to make it toxic. Nirma’s other female colleagues make sexist comment on her, while her lady manager schools her for not being good at “English”. Nirma is punished for being middle class by being given less lucrative assignments while her posh high class colleagues get plum assignments to work on. The magic of this film is that it makes subtle comments on work culture without being preachy.

Coming back to the car, Nirma is shown as using her phone while driving, which is typically a bad habit most Indians practice. Then, she is shown to be superstitious about the car’s number plate. She is shown to have put a Guru ji’s picture on the car too, for “safety”. Alas, much to her horror, the car is stolen.

The manner in which the car is stolen is so funny and yet so realistic. At this point, we very well realize that the movie shows very “realistic” events in such a different manner that those appear novel.

Now, Abhay Deol appears on the scene. Abhay being a big star deserved a big entry. And what kind of entry does he get? Nirma climbs the stairs of an under-construction building which is in pathetic shape, removes a wooden sheet, to find Abhay cooking in a swanky nice kitchen. Yes, the movie shows Abhay’s masculinity by showing him cooking comfortably, almost in a style. As it turns out, he is a chef by hobby, while being a conman by profession. Abhay Deol is named “Artist”.

The movie shows both Mithila and Abhay getting impressed with each other and developing a bond. But it never shows any romantic relation or any dramatic scene, which is completely great. Real people do not fall in love even if they are impressed by someone from opposite gender, and the movie is so realistic in this. Near its end though, Nirma tells him in Chinese language that “you are a fool”, which he does not understand, pointing to the fact that perhaps she wanted them to keep in touch in future, while he, being a typical male did not get it.

Now, the comedy part is very impressive too. There is this gangster Faiyaaz Bhai, played by Vijay Raaz so very well, in his legendary “Kauwa Biryani” style. Faiyaaz has got a big goat named “Bahubali” for fights and at one point while he is celebrating the goat’s birthday and he noticed that the cooks have prepared mutton biryani for the feast, he slaps the contractor saying, “How would Bahubali feel, seeing his someone from his own clan being slaughtered for food?” It was hilarious. The rest of the story and how Nirma gets her car back is also very entertaining.

There is one more scene which stands out. A politician is causing traffic jam as he and his supporters are making a band play music in public. Abhay Deol walks to a band member and bribes him to make him play the national anthem. After the national anthem is played, the whole atmosphere is changed; and the politician and his supporters call off their celebration. Hats off to whoever wrote this part of script.

I really enjoyed this movie and if you have not watched it, please search for “Chopsticks” on Netflix.

And yes, in the last scene of the movie, Nirma gives up trying to eat with Chopsticks and teaches Chinese people to each with hand instead. I told you, this is a sensible ‘nationalistic’ movie.

Here are some of the scenes from the movie along with my 'unnecessary commentary':

When Nirma is taking a big group of Chinese tourists to visit a Mumbai slum, two guys make this comment. One wonders why so many foreigners are visiting their slum these days. The other guy tells him that the movie Slumdog Millionaire is to be blamed. Then, the first guys tells that “is picture banana wale ko “phat ke” maarna chahiye”. The second one agrees by saying, “Litaa litaa kar”. Hilarious.

This is the epic scene where Nirma makes the “more counterfeit products than China” statement. Here, she almost reminds me of Raj Kapoor making that “Mera joota hai Japani” song. She even has a cap on her head.