Anurag Kashyap’s new directorial is quite unlike anything he has attempted before. The trademark grim filmmaking is missing, and the filmmaker has opted for the lighter idiom of satire this time. The oddly-titled “Choked: Paisa Bolta Hai” tries building up suspense drama by cocktailing the realism of demonetisation with a bizarre plot of wish fulfilment.
Nihit Bhave’s script is set in suburban middle-class Mumbai of 2016. The story begins in October that year, around a month before the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes would take place.
The plot is centred on a family of three — the bank employee Sarita (Saiyami Kher), her unemployed husband Sushant (Roshan Mathew), who is a struggling musician, and their son. Sushant, who can never hold on to a job, has piled up a sizeable debt. Sarita hardly makes an attempt to hide her exasperation and their daily bickering sessions are a staple for the neighbours.
Twist in the tale comes when Sarita one night discovers the drainpipe below their kitchen sink is overflowing. It spits out more than much, actually — the filthy water tosses out neatly-packed bundles of currency notes, too. What’s more, the accidental largesse of fate isn’t a one-off coincidence. It starts happening every night.
What follows is meant to be a gripping saga of secrets and cover-ups, though Kashyap throws in an expected dose of comment between the lines, too. Sarita’s ready willingness to make best use of her freak fortune, without stopping to bother about reason or consequence, underlines a world where money is all that. When demonetisation happens out of the blue, Kashyap gets a chance to take a few sly political jibes at “achhe din”.
Doubtless, “Choked” touts the right intentions — as an entertainer and as a vehicle for socio-political comment.
Yet, it all starts to meander after a point. A runtime of below two hours starts feeling too stretched, and for a film that primarily tries regaling as a suspense drama that bit is a downer. “Choked” somehow lacks the familiar Anurag Kashyap touch of assuredness.
