Shiv Shastri Balboa Review: A sweet and simple story that grows on viewers with the power-packed performances of the cast members. The film packs various life-lessons but never gets too preachy about them.
Shiv Shastri Balboa Review Rating: ★★★★☆
Shiv Shastri Balboa Cast: Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, Nargis Fakhri, Jugal Hansraj, Sharib Hashmi and the ensemble
Shiv Shastri Balboa Director: Ajayan Venugopalan
Shiv Shastri Balboa Story: A retired senior pensioner, Shiv Shankar Shastri (Anupam Kher) who is a hard-core Rocky film fan goes to the United States to live with his son and his family but ultimately ends up on a journey to India through the American heartland to reunite a woman named Elsa Zachariah (Neena Gupta) with her family. In this eventful journey Shiv Shastri Balboa discovers that is never too late to bring a change in life.
Shiv Shastri Balboa Review
Shiv Shastri Balboa is a sweet and heartwarming tale of a journey that engrosses the viewers with its meaningful plot which is both entertaining and inspiring. The film directed and written by Ajayan Venugopalan is a journey of self-discovery and rediscovery of life at that age where it is almost considered a taboo to bring about a change in one’s lifestyle.
Even though the film is 132 minutes long, it is knitted quite perfectly and as a viewer you won’t find it lengthy at all. Shiv Shastri Balboa ticks all the right boxes to emerge as a great journey which leaves the viewers with a sense of satisfaction and curiosity. There is a clear message at the core of the film that is it’s never too late to change or view the life from a different perspective.
Neena Gupta plays a house help in an Indo-American house and completely aces it with her brilliant acting skills. Some viewers may find her accent a bit over-the-top but it works well in the scheme of things. Anupam Kher is the life and soul of Shiv Shastri Balboa. He just adds another good film to the list of uncountable highly rated films that he has acted in his illustrious career. Kher is flawless as Shiv Shastri Shankar and makes the character highly relatable with his nuanced performance.
It’s a delight to watch Jugal Hansraj in Shiv Shastri Balboa. He has done a sincere job. Nargis Fakhri marks a return to Bollywood with a good performance and Sharib Hashmi steals the spotlight at certain points with his ultimate on-point comedy. Shiv Shastri Balboa’s cast enhances the storyline of the film with their exceptional screen presence.
In conclusion, Shiv Shastri Balboa is a film that deserves to be watched in the theatres with one’s family. It will leave you with a great sense of satisfaction.