A ‘toast’ for your funny bones

1. Title: Toaster
2. Director: Vivek Daschaudhary
3. Cast: RajKummar Rao, Sanya Malhotra, Archana Puran Singh, Seema Pahwa, Farah Khan, Abhishek Banerjee and others
4. Where: Netflix
5. Rating: HHH

Satish Sundaresan

Toaster revolves around a simple and sweet couple: Ramakant (RajKummar Rao) and his wife Shilpa (Sanya Malhotra). While Ramakant is a self-confessed miser who has no qualms or shame about saving every paise possible, his wife is just the opposite.

One day when a reluctant Ramakant and Shilpa attend the wedding of Shilpa’s Guruji, they gift the newlyweds a brand new toaster. But, for some unexpected reason, when the wedding gets called off, Ramakant reaches Guruji’s residence only to ask for his toaster back! He gets the shock of his life when he learns they have already donated the toaster to an orphanage. The film gains its accelerated momentum when Ramakant lands up in the orphanage…. seeking his toaster. Little does he realise that this toaster could eventually become instrumental in a bunch of murders and deceits.

Actors’ performance

In a film where every actor is worth his/her salt, the master performer RajKummar Rao stands out like a King Cobra with a raised hood! He delivers a masterclass in timing as he navigates a labyrinth of suspense and unexpected twists. Despite being an utter miser in the film, you still fall for his innocence and helplessness.

The spunky Sanya Malhotra’s brilliance in her character adds much-needed support to RajKummar’s character. One would have wanted to see more of her though. The surprise element, however, is the veteran actress Archana Puran Singh, who proves she is much more than a show’s judge who gets paid to laugh! Her approach to her role is bound to shock many as she defies many norms in the film.

Besides this trio, other actors including Upendra Limaye, Seema Pahwa, Farah Khan and Abhishek Banerjee blend justly into their respective characters.

Music

Full marks to the film’s director Vivek Daschaudhary, who after gaining experience with projects like Guns and Gulaabs, takes the giant leap of faith (and confidence) with Toaster… and passes the litmus test with flying colours. A pat on the back to the team of Parveez Shaikh (story, screenplay) along with Anagh Mukherjee and Akshat Ghildial (who also penned the film’s dialogues). This film stands as testimony to the fact that a simple premise can hold you on the edge of your seat for a couple of hours!

While the film’s cinematography (Jishnu Bhattacharjee) is decent, the editing (Chandrashekhar Prajapati) could have been slightly crisper, with trimming required in the second half (at a few places). The film’s background score (Aman Pant) is taut and blends beautifully with the film’s narrative.

FPJ Verdict

The film Toaster masterfully balances high-stakes tension with laugh-out-loud moments, which ensures that you’re on the edge of your seat even while you’re chuckling! If you are a fan of whodunits or are looking for a sharp-witted entertainer, this genre-bending Toaster is an absolute must-watch.