Introduction –
“Unpaused” promised to ease some of the physical and psychological ailments of Pandemic through intriguing stories. However, it could only succeed partially. While some of the tales did manage to bring a smile on the faces of viewers and make them forget about the mangled hopes and miseries, at least temporarily, there were others which offered nothing. Rat-a-Tat, the 3rd film in this series belongs to the former category. The story is about a 65 year old widow, Archana ( Lillete Dubey ) and Priyanka ( Rinku Rajguru ). A chance encounter and a subsequent comical event bring the two women of varying age together.
Synopsis –
Archana is a widow and known for her outspoken and quirky behavior. She keeps to herself and extremely cautious when it comes to interacting with other human beings because of Covid-19. Enter Priyanka. She presses the doorbell to Archana’s apartment and introduces herself. She wants to know if Archana needs anything from the market. Archana chases her off in her peculiar way. She also warns her not to call her Aunty; that she’d prefer “Archana Ji”.
Strangers become friends
The same night, Archana is once again forced to interact with Priyanka. The reason is Priyanka’s fear for rats. She turns her rented house upside down, screaming and throwing things at the poor rodent. The sounds finally fade off. Next morning Archana finds Priyanka in a makeshift bed across her door. Priyanka’s innocence and her fear for the rat forces Archana to mellow down and offer the young girl a temporary accommodation in her house, at least till she gets rid of the little pest.
The bond grows stronger
The two women gradually discover solace in each other’s company after their initial reservations. While Archana speaks about her life, her dead husband, her origins which are rooted in U.P, and her constant reprimands when Priyanka mispronounces a Hindi word, Priyanka talks about her work as a set designer for a film production house and her parents who have stopped talking to her because of her film career.
Rat-A-Tat is not just about pandemic. It is also about a strong, nameless bond built during these trying times. Watch this short film for a gratifying experience.
Analysis –
Although the film hit quite a few notes beautifully, it also missed some. Direction and cinematography is ordinary. Some of the scene compositions appeared bland, especially when Priyanka encounters the rat and the one in the kitchen where she tries to hide her tears. The farting scene didn’t make any sense to us.
On the acting front, Lillete Dubey as usual scores high marks. In fact, had it not been for her the film would have failed to make any impact. Rinku Rajguru seemed happy to be in the shadows of her senior partner. We expected more from her and her director. Background score is pleasing while the song in the end did offer something to ponder upon.
2020 Tannishtha Chatterjee Devika Bhagat 20 Minutes Amazon Prime Video