Too Much Drama, But Too Much of Goodwill and So Full Of Spirit

RATING – ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 3/5*

Ata Thambaycha Naay Review Movie Review:

I have always known Shivraj Waichal as a good actor, but I never imagined he could be so impressive as a director. His association with Tushar Hiranandani for Srikanth must have taught him a great deal—enough to inspire him to bring a similarly spirited story of passion and goodwill with Ata Thambaycha Naay. While Srikanth fell short in the second half of what it promised, ATN stumbles a bit in the first half while handling a professional concept. Nevertheless, it is so full of goodwill and spirit that you simply can’t dislike this film. Even though I wasn’t entirely happy with the excessive theatrics and dramatic elements—clearly added to enhance cinematic appeal at the cost of realism—because it’s a story about underdogs and, more importantly, about genuinely good people, you just can’t help but like it. I wanted to dislike it for all the drama, but its emotional core wouldn’t allow me to.

Ata Thambaycha Naay Story:

Based on true events, Ata Thambaycha Naay is a somewhat fictionalised version of the story of Class D workers of the BMC, who scripted history for the department. I was already familiar with the background since one of my neighbours works as a sweeper with the BMC, but despite working in the entertainment media field, I wasn’t aware that a film was being made on it. That’s partly due to a PR failure, and to top it off, I missed the press show too only because of them. Anyway, the film is inspired by the real-life journey of Udaykumar Shiroorkar, a retired Assistant Municipal Commissioner, who encouraged 23 Class IV workers of the BMC to complete their basic school education. The film focuses on these 23 workers, who initially didn’t understand the value of education, but later returned to it with dedication and succeeded in passing their board exams.

The screenplay, as expected, takes us through their struggles, misconceptions, misadventures, and eventual self-realisation. The writing occasionally feels like a throwback to 90s television dramas, but there are genuinely heartwarming moments throughout. As I mentioned earlier—too much drama and theatrics—but when there’s so much goodwill at the heart of a story, it becomes hard to say no. As human beings, we naturally gravitate towards inspiring stories that motivate us to do something meaningful with our lives—even if that means forgiving some cinematic liberties in the process. Ata Thambaycha Naay may go wrong with logic or structure, but it absolutely nails the emotional impact. And that, considering the kind of audience it aims to reach, is a triumph in itself. This isn’t an intellectual film meant for urban elites—it’s a film for Marathi middle- and lower-class families who need to understand where they might be going wrong, whether it’s the head of the family, the women, or the children. Releasing this film on Labour Day was a justified and fitting decision.

Ata Thambaycha Naay Cast:

The film features an ensemble cast led by seasoned actor Bharat Jadhav, once hailed as a comedy legend. He’s already proven himself in the drama genre, and as many of you know, he is a different beast when it comes to stage dramas, but here he plays a character older than his age—which was certainly a challenge. Yet again, he shows what he’s capable of when given a demanding role. Siddharth Jadhav has also done well and benefits from the break this role offers him from his stereotypical comedy characters. Ashutosh Gowariker is perfect as a sophisticated officer. Prajakta Hanamghar may have gone a bit overboard, but that’s exactly how her character was written, and she delivered accordingly. Kiran Khoje was impressive as Apsara. Om Bhutkar deserves special mention for shedding his usual rustic image to play a kind-hearted social worker you simply cannot dislike. Parna Pethe seems to be shedding her glamorous image—or perhaps that transformation was more than just physical and close to reality? Shrikant Yadav, Rupa Borgaonkar, Pravin Dalimbkar, and the rest of the supporting cast were all good in their respective roles. I must say, Shivraj and his team didn’t just cast actors—they cast “characters.”

"Complete Ban on Pakistani Artists, Filmmakers, and Financiers in India," says Cine Workers Association after Operation Sindoor –

Ata Thambaycha Naay Review:

The film does fall short on the musical front, which could have significantly added to its cinematic value. Unfortunately, it misses the mark there. The cinematography is decent, and the editing is tight. The film has been shot in real locations, which adds an element of authenticity, and the production design holds up well. Shivraj Waichal needs to make more films, because he has done a better job than many more experienced directors in the industry. That said, he still needs to apply some filters—especially in terms of getting the screenplay right and tight. He clearly knows how to handle emotions and drama; now he just needs to bring more finesse and intelligence into his filmmaking. Ata Thambaycha Naay struggles with narrative rhythm and occasionally sacrifices coherence for drama, even while drawing from a true story—something that could have been avoided. That said, the overall impact is far better than what any other filmmaker could have achieved with the same material. Full credit to Mr. Waichal and his team. All in all, this is yet another good film from Marathi cinema in recent times, right after Sant Dnyaneshwaranchi Muktaai. And since we’re barely getting such heartfelt Marathi films nowadays, you owe it to yourself to watch this one.

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