Movie review of CAKEWALK is here. Marking the return of actress Esha Deol Takhtani back to her passion – acting, CAKEWALK is also the debut of journalist turned author Ram Kamal Mukherjee as director. Does CAKEWALK delivers on the expected lines?. Find out in the movie review of CAKEWALK.
What is CAKEWALK?
A sweet ode to life which says it’s not a cakewalk to be what you want to be
The story of CAKEWALK
Set in city of joy Kolkata, CAKEWALK opens with Shilpa Sen (Esha Deol Takhtani) –runners up of the master chef competition rushing to reach her hotel. The day turns special with the visit of a top airline CEO played by Tarun Malhotra and his wife (Anindita Bose). The couple is celebrating their wedding anniversary and the one who bakes the best cake gets a fat incentive. The challenge throws an opportunity to everyone present in the kitchen including Chef Shilpa Sen who accepts it as she is under some financial pressure. While the runners up of the master chef competition and others start baking the price cake, a bitter sweet peep into the life of Shilpa brings out the various aspects of life and how it gets connected with that sweet desert – Bombae Alaska.
Esha Deol in CAKEWALK?
Esha Deol gives a restrained and balanced performance as Shilpa. As the movie progresses we are introduced to her moments of triumph and failure and the actress assures that she was never away for the arch light and charms with her sensible portrayal as a women who bakes her way into the competitive world and tastes the ‘sweet’ success.
Direction of Ram Kamal Mukherjee and Abhra Chakraborty
Co-directed by former journalist turned author Ram Kamal Mukherjee who debuts as a director and Abhra Chakraborty, the direction manages to sway the senses of the story to the senses of the audience and makes this short little ode to life pleasingly sweet in the end.
Flaws
CAKEWALK is a short film, a toast to life which talks about life, love, understanding, moving on, following your dreams and the realization of mistake. When you open your movie with a quote from Robert Brault which says, “’Life becomes easier when you learn to accept an apology you never got’ you invite the sensible and thinking audience to search for depth and layers and surprisingly it doesn’t digs deep within. The movie fails to acknowledge the talents of its protagonist Shilpa as a Chef with a difference. She cooks at home in one scene and prepares that price cake in the end. The development of Shilpa from a loving housewife to a master chef is flimsy. Those jokes on Shah Rukh Khan falls flat, the relationship shown between Tarun Malhotra and Anindita Bose is strange and forced ( it might be the intention) but doesn’t quite blend with the core idea which tries to connect food with life and people. Yes, the rapidly increasing divorce rates are alarming and the movie tries to raise a voice of concern for the same but it’s just a whisper not a rich, strong and fulfilling opinion as the desert used as the metaphor in the movie – Bombae Alaska.
Final words
Still, after flaws, CAKEWALK starring Esha Deol Takhtani is a pleasingly sweet enough short movie/film which has the potential of a full length emotional rollercoaster cause it connects life, love and dreams with food.
