For a film of this kind to truly work, it requires sharp, energetic writing packed with clever gags and tight execution. However, in this Toaster starring Rajkummar Rao and Sanya Malhotra, very little lands as intended, leaving behind a disappointing experience—one that feels like scraping off burnt toast. Reported by The Indian Express.
Ramakant (Rajkummar Rao) is not just a miser; he is an extreme version of one. The kind of person who feels triumphant if a telecom company refunds him six rupees he believes he is owed. Six, yes, count ‘em.
His attractive wife Shilpa (Sanya Malhotra), who is hooked on crime shows, is deeply frustrated with their life in a housing society dominated by senior citizens. Among them is Mrs D’Souza (Seema Pahwa), who can occasionally be persuaded into lowering their rent.
According The Indian Express to Their otherwise monotonous life—defined by penny-pinching and small savings—is thrown into chaos when a gleaming toaster, purchased as a wedding gift, becomes the unlikely centre of a series of bizarre events.
Suddenly, dead bodies begin to appear. Situations spiral. The miser and his wife find themselves stunned as a lustful politician (Jitendra Joshi) is caught in a compromising video, a drug-fuelled man (Abhishek Banerjee) dangles dangerously from a balcony, and an elderly woman (Archana Puran Singh) discovers an unexpected fondness for feather boas. Meanwhile, a police officer (Jitendra Limaye) is left navigating a growing list of suspects.
There’s blackmail. A suggestive boudoir drenched in red. Stolen SIM cards. Karate chops. Graves and shovels. On paper, this chaotic mix of elements might have sounded wildly entertaining. After all, the casting promises much: the ever-reliable Rao as a miser, Malhotra as his exasperated partner, and the immensely talented Pahwa bringing humour to an eccentric elderly character.
Banerjee appears with bloodshot eyes, while in a brief but energetic role, Farah Khan plays a sharp orphanage owner—a part that could have benefitted from more screen time. There’s even a scene featuring a dubious politician being cheekily slapped by foreign women.
Yet, despite this seemingly vibrant setup, the film falters in execution. What unfolds is a dull, over-engineered narrative that only worsens as it progresses. Even Rao, who dominates nearly every frame, is unable to lift the material.
Is nobody examining the final outcome of such promising ideas brought together by capable actors, only to result in something that goes nowhere? For a film like this to work, you need zippy writing, full of smart gags. Here, so little lands that it’s deeply depressing: you are left scraping off burnt toast.
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Sanya Malhotra, Archana Puran Singh, Jitendra Limaye, Jitendra Joshi, Seema Pahwa, Farah Khan, Abhishek Banerjee
Director: Vivek Daschaudary
Rating: 1 star
ISSUE
Leave a Comment