Katha is a comedy film that retells the classic story of the hare and the tortoise, and it was also inspired by S.G. Sathye’s Marathi play Sasa Aani Kasav.
But many who try to reinvent the wheel tend to not succeed, and Katha is one such venture. Despite a stellar cast and a somewhat funny story, it still fails to make an impression, and here’s why.
Katha — Review at a Glance
- Story — 2.5/5
- Acting — 3.5/5
- Direction — 3/5
Pros: Safe comedy, a classic good v/s bad tale
Cons: Fails to keep the viewer gripped to the story
Must-Watch: No
One-Time Watch: Sure
When to Watch Katha — When you want something light and funny (and maybe if you’re experiencing 80s nostalgia)
Katha Review — A Deep Dive
Katha is a product of its time, and as such, its rhetoric of virtues v/s shortcuts is not groundbreaking or astounding in any manner.
Most of the film works hard to portray Bashu as a crude and opportunistic man, i.e., the “hare,” and his friend Rajaram (the tortoise) is the kind-hearted clerk whose honest existence is taken advantage of by many.
But most scenes are extremely generic, if I’m being honest.
Yes, Bashu knows how to work his charm and get what he wants, be it housing, a job, or even girl(s). This man is not limited by societal norms or even a guilty conscience. For him, the “adventure” and thrill is everything. But, like most average stories of the time, Katha spends most of its time villainising its “villain” simply for the sake of its hero… and isn’t that boring?
Despite the plot staying true to the hare and tortoise fable, Katha wastes its potential by sticking to a safe technique of storytelling, all while Rajaram acts as a stand-in character simply waiting for things to take their course.
For much of Katha, it simply feels like you’re watching some commercial film for kids.
This isn’t to say Katha doesn’t have its moments, and the pacing itself is also not an issue… but given how basic Bashu’s antics are, the slow-moving story doesn’t do the audience much of a favour.
Maybe Katha was revolutionary when it first came out, but with all due respect, it’s hard to see exactly why this film was given a National Film Award.
The first of the film isn’t anything to write home about, but the climax is relatively better. After Bashu makes his final move, leaving Rajaram to make some hard decisions, it finally feels like the characters have been more humanised, and we get to see what is truly plaguing them.
Having said that, I will say the casting of each character was done very well. Naseeruddin Shah and Farooque Shaikh are an unconventional pair but worked well together, aptly embodying the spirit of the tortoise and the hare.
All in all, Katha is one of those films you shouldn’t expect much cinematic grandeur from. However, if you’re looking for a quaint 80’s film for a relaxed watch, then this could be the right fit for you.
Katha Plot Overview
Rajaram is an honest and simple man who works as a clerk and is in love with Sandhya, a girl in his chawl. One day, an old friend of his named Bashu shows up and almost ruins everything in the protagonist’s life.
Katha Cast Details
- Naseeruddin Shah: Rajaram
- Farooque Shaikh: Bashu
- Deepti Naval: Sandhya
