Sonali Cable

Hindi (U/A) ¬¬

Cast: Anupam Kher, Rhea Chakraborty, Ali Fazal, Smita Jaykar, Swanand Kirkire, Raghav Juyal

Director: Charudutt Acharya



One of the biggest voids in the Hindi film industry, as of now, is story. Even big-ticket money-minting flicks suffer from this malady. Given this, Sonali Cable director Charudutt Acharya and his team should feel miserable, having let down a good — albeit straightforward — story with bad screenplay, abrupt dialogues and a climax that makes even the opening credits look snazzier by a mile!



Sonali Cable is a mom-and-pop internet service provider in Mumbai, headed by motormouth Marathi “mulgi” Sonali Tandel (Rhea Chakraborty), who lives with her alcoholic father (Swanand Kirkire), and runs her business with the help of a ragtag group of boys. She owns 40 per cent of the company, the other 60 per cent belonging to local leader Meena Pawar (Smita Jaykar), whose son (Ali Fazal) and Sonali are in love. Problems start when multi-vertical industry Shining, headed by one Waghela (Anupam Kher) tries to monopolise the ISP business in Mumbai, buying out all contenders, including Sonali Cable. Things escalate when Sonali Cable employee Sadaa (Raghav Juyal) is killed in an attack.



Most of the performances are mediocre to slightly better. Fazal and Jaykar seem a little underused, while fresh-faced Chakraborty manages to evoke emotions intermittently with her acting. Hers is the only act that remains with you. And Anupam Kher is deliciously, stereotypically despotic as the eccentric Waghela.



Unfortunately, unnecessary scenes, abrupt and inconsequential plot twists, and a very unfulfilling climactic scene mean that the film falls flat on its face. The music does not work wonders, editing seems sloppy at places, and you can spot most of the surprises from a mile.