20th March, Mumbai: Every now and then, deliveries are made to people’s homes. The delivery boys are people we occasionally engage with and other times just ignore. We scarcely give them credit for the time and effort they put in to earn a meagre incentive that is heavily influenced by our opinions of them. The same universe, in which survival is dependent not on the character’s laborious efforts but rather on the frivolous disposition of the clients, is brought into sharp light in Nandita Das’ Bollywood film Zwigato. The plot, which is set in Bhubaneshwar, centres on Manas, played by Kapil Sharma, and his wife Pratima (Shahana Goswami), and how they maintain their body and soul to survive the economic crisis. The movie is Nandita Das’ insightful examination of the gig economy, depicting the plight of the immigrant couple in the post-Covid era.
The film Zwigato is much more than just a jab at the two biggest meal delivery services, Zomato and Swiggy, as suggested by the title. The movie, which was written by Nandita and Samir Patil, centres on a character who is constantly present but is never acknowledged. Nandita Das paid close attention to the degree of authenticity in the scenery, in language, and in conversations because the movie is set in the capital of Odisha.
According to rumours, Kapil and Shahana are from Jharkhand, and they speak the language flawlessly. In contrast to his reputation as a comic man, Kapil moves smoothly into the role of Manas, a victim of the system who refuses to accept his fate. Pratima is the voice of reason since she is determined to work and provide for her family, in contrast to Manas, who is frustrated that an unseen force is pushing him to return to the cage of unemployment and poverty. She is persistent and devoted, and she will even defy her spouse to provide for their financial requirements. Both Kapil and Shahana defend their on-screen roles.
While Nandita Das never outright accuses society of being harsh on these characters or adopts a very sympathetic stance to demonstrate their misery, she does take a few opportunities to quietly draw attention to the gap between the rich and the poor. The way that exploitation operates in the economic system is highlighted in those instances. Eventually, Manas even cries out, “Malik dikhai nahin deta par ghulami poori hai.”
The movie sometimes feels rushed, but that’s just so the characters can get a foothold in the audience’s brains. The first half moves slowly and makes us eagerly anticipate Manas and Pratima’s future improvement. Will he resign from his position and look for another one? Would Pratima accept the position in defiance of his husband’s wishes? Will the difficulties cause a family to fail? Nandita Das points out that she never promised a happy ending as we search for explanations and hold out hope for it.
The epilogue to Nandita Das’ narrative is its most lovely section. Das is able to bring the movie to a pleasant conclusion without diminishing the characters’ trials and hardships. Zwigato doesn’t have a happy ending, but it does come to a satisfying conclusion. There are no abrupt dramatic turns or sudden changes in the lives of the characters. It serves as an example of how sorrow is transitory. Even when you’re in pain, you can still laugh and be happy. The story of Manas and Pratima will stick with you long after the movie is ended, but you will also have a slight grin on your face.
Rating: 2/5