The movie ‘Toaster’ released on Netflix is a story that proves that sometimes even small things can create the biggest mess in your life. Produced by Rajkumar Rao and Patralekha, the film is an interesting mix of dark comedy, anarchy and quirky characters.
Story: A toaster, a divorce and a murder
The story of the film revolves around Ramakant (Rajkumar Rao), who is famous for his stinginess. Ramakant keeps an account of one rupee each. The turning point in the story comes when he decides to ask back the toaster given to him at a wedding because the couple is divorcing.
But what starts as a funny story when the same toaster is connected to a murder case. Ramakant gets scared and hides her in his landlady’s house, but after her death the situation spirals out of control. Now behind the toaster is not only Ramakant, but many mysterious people and from here begins a chain of strange events.
Toaster: Acting
Rajkumar Rao proves once again why he is one of the most bankable actors today. They tried their best. Ramakant is irritable, stubborn and awkward – but Rao makes him watchable. Sometimes I like it too.
Sanya Malhotra is good, but her role seems limited. I want them to do more. Archana Puran Singh and Seema Pahwa exude their usual charm in small roles. Abhishek Banerjee, as expected, delivers a brilliant performance in an unconventional role. The artist does a great job – but not everyone gets the chance.
Toaster: direction
Director Vivek Daschaudhuri has an interesting take on paper. A small thing can make a big fuss. And sometimes it works too. The dark humor is effective in some places. But the film loses its grip in the middle. The pace slows down. Some scenes seem sketchy. It is unable to maintain the energy that it initially shows.
Toaster: What’s good
The film’s greatest strength is its originality and dedication to a strange central idea. Toaster becomes truly entertaining whenever it focuses on its dark humor. Rajkumar Rao’s performance manages the chaos, and there are moments of sharp, situational comedy that work well. Its uncertainty keeps you interested, even if the film falters a bit at times.
Toaster: What is not good
The film seems a bit unbalanced. The middle part seems a bit stretched. Some characters are not used correctly. Humor is sometimes good and sometimes not. And the climax is not as powerful as it should have been.
Toaster: The final verdict
Toaster has all the ingredients needed to be a good dark comedy, but it doesn’t take full advantage of them. It entertains in some parts, feels a bit slow in others, but never completely distracts you. The idea of the movie is great, but it doesn’t make full use of it. It’s entertaining in parts, slow in others, but never boring.
It’s a decent movie worth checking out – especially if you like slightly quirky, character-driven stories. And yes, it also stars Rajkumar Rao.