Masand's Verdict: Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii

Cast:Rahul Bose, Zain Khan

Direction: Kituu Salooja

I don't know about you but I don't have too many nice things to say about the state of children's entertainment in our country. Especially the films we make for children.

Most of them are silly or boring, and some are just your regular Bollywood masala movies disguised as children's films.

You know, I miss the kind of children's films we grew up on -- films like Chota Chetan and Mr India and Hip Hip Hurray.

Those were inspiring films and they were entertaining and most importantly those films didn't talk down to children, they didn't have a condescending tone.

Now I bring up the subject of children's films because this week's new release at the cinemas is a film called , a fairly decent kids film in a long, long time.

It's the story of a 13-year-old orphan boy, Karan, who's hopeful that he'll some day be adopted by a loving couple who'll give him a better life than he one he leads in that dilapidated orphanage run by a foul-mouthed caretaker.

He lays his hands on an old cricket bat which he discovers was the one Kapil Dev used in his 1983 World Cup victory, and using that bat, Karan finds a sort of magic that helps him swing sixers and boundaries with every swack.

He's promptly included in the Indian cricket team and fast becomes the star attraction, bringing the team the kind of success and glory that had been eluding them recently.

He finds an ally in the team's captain played by Rahul Bose, who at first is unsure what to make of this little wonder, but soon enough discovers he has much to teach, and much to learn from the youngster.

For the most part, I have to confess, Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii is engaging because it's simple and because it doesn't really digress from its plot.

The scenes in the orphanage between the children are competently handled, the director rarely loses grip on the tone of the film.

But it's in the film's second half that the narrative slips. That whole angle of Rahul Bose and his estranged father is a bit tedious and seems a little out of place in this film.

That scene in which the orphan boy makes Rahul Bose realize he should be thankful for having parents around is cliched, and the subsequent scene in which Rahul mends his relationship with his father is melodramatic to say the least.

It's all well-intended and noble, no doubt, but sticks out in a film like this because it's the only portion that doesn't go with the film's otherwise smooth narrative.

Like most Hindi films, you are expected to suspend disbelief and just submit yourself to the story, but to be fair, it's a plot that almost works.

Now if only it wasn't for Rahul Bose's excessive over-acting... Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii rests pretty much on the able shoulders of child-actor Zain Khan who plays the protagonist of the story.

The young boy is confident and spirited and he provides the film its best moments.

The other young actors playing his comrades at the orphanage also deserve mention for their ensemble performance.

I'm going to go with two out of five and an average rating for director Kituu Salooja's Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii -- it's an honorable attempt and a film you wouldn't be embarrassed to take your children to.

Rating: 2 / 5 (Average)