Movie Review: Director Manish Tiwary’s film ‘Chidiakhana’ to release June 2

After Dil Dosti Etc and Issaq, director Manish Tiwary’s latest offering Chidiakhana is all set for a June 2 release. Produced by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and presented by Bharati Studios, it will be released by Platoon One Films.

It is a coming-of-age story of a Bihari boy (Ritvik Sahore) who is embraced by residents of a Maharashtrian chawl due to his grit, imagination and especially his soccer skills. The film beautifully highlights how there is a tiger in every underdog among us.

Says Manish, "Chidiakhana is the story of an underdog who makes his mark thanks to his passion for football, and in the process, not just empowers himself, but also his friends, his educational institution and turns enemies into friends. Chidiakhana is a story of team spirit and togetherness, and how when small drops come together, can become the ocean."

Manish Tiwary is particularly passionate about the casting choices for this film. “Ritvik Sahore seemed the perfect fit for the lead character Sooraj, as his innocence reflects in his demeanour. Avneet Kaur as Sooraj’s crush is a breath of fresh air. Rajeshwari Sachdev works well as the mother who has left everything to safeguard her child. Prashant Narayanan stands out as the Gunda with the golden heart. Ravi Kishan, Govind Namdev and Aanjjan Srivastav play their characters with amazing conviction. Each of the boys from the football team comes with their own strengths, weaknesses and character. Hence, Chidiakhana, as seen through the eyes of the protagonist," elaborates Manish Tiwary.

Tiwary, who hails from Bihar himself, went overseas to study at Cambridge University, UK, and Yale University, USA. Perhaps there is something of his own reminiscence in the story of Sooraj from Bihar coming to Mumbai and finding his foothold in the big-city labyrinth.