We have recently watched the latest movie “Zwigato,” which released in theaters on March 17th. The movie portrays the gig economy and the lives of ordinary people in a very subtle way. However, the movie’s slow pace is its major flaw, which gets unnecessarily stretched, making the audience lose interest at times. The story follows the life of a food delivery rider named Manas, played by Kapil Sharma, who is struggling with the world of ratings and algorithms. He tries to make ends meet as a food delivery man after losing his steady job at a factory floor supervisor during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The film shows how Manas’s life is filled with chasing incentives, penalties, and ratings to survive the financial crisis. Manas’s wife, Pratima, played by Shahana Goswami, also chips in by doing odd jobs like giving massages at rich people’s homes to support the family. However, Manas isn’t happy that he is unable to support his family financially. He is seen zigzagging his way on his bike throughout the film, trying to make as many deliveries as he could. He even takes selfies with customers to earn extra money.
There are a few heartwarming moments in the movie, such as the scene where Manas corrects a placard slogan that says, ‘He’s helpless because he’s a labourer’ to ‘He’s a labourer because he’s helpless.’ However, the movie also tries to address many cultural and social awareness topics, including political angles, gender and class discrimination, and patriarchy. While these topics are interrelated, the script gets too packed with events, and the movie fails to leave a lasting impact on the audience.
The first half of the movie builds the narrative, but the second half becomes slower, dragging the story at times. Activist Govindraj, played by Swanand Kirkire, holds a protest in the middle of the street, and a man of a different faith is targeted. A Muslim delivery boy fears entering a temple, and all of this looked forced. Despite this, Kapil Sharma’s acting is exemplary as Manas, and he does his best to portray the character on a visual level. However, it is hard to see him as Manas rather than Kapil Sharma.
In conclusion, “Zwigato” is a well-intentioned film that tries to depict the lives of delivery boys in a subtle way. However, the movie’s slow pace and excessive inclusion of cultural and social topics make it difficult for the audience to connect emotionally. It has the potential to be emotional, but it fails to deliver.
