“Why Cheat India” Review: A good concept that deserved better execution

“Why Cheat India” is about the cheating scams in schools. It’s about a society that values marks more than actually making a mark in society. It’s about the greed towards money that is often created by the way society is structured. We are often the results of our surroundings, and our surroundings are often judgmental, and due to that judgmental nature of surroundings, we are constantly trying to prove ourselves. In extreme cases, we may go down the wrong path in that process. This film is about that path.

The film starts out well. We begin with the track of a boy named “Sattu”, who dreams of a better life. We get connected to his character. Through him we understand his lifestyle and his family. He is a bright boy and academically intelligent. Unfortunately, he is innocent as well, and this, combined with his intelligence, gets him trapped into devious plan. When he meets a man named Rakesh Singh, things take a turn. Rakesh Singh runs a business that allows education scams to flourish in the country, and Sattu is a perfect target for him. He convinces Sattu to take exams for struggling or academically weak students, in exchange for money. This is how we are introduced to the scamming system. While this seems to be great for Sattu at first, it eventually ends up taking a toll on Sattu, since he studies non-stop. The track then shifts towards Rakesh, and we delve deeper into the various, corrupt malpractices that plague the education system.

The first half is decent, with a proper build up, but in the second half, the film loses itself, and the story starts going off track, and many of the scenes seem disjointed. Sattu’s track is set aside, and we start following Rakesh instead.  The problem is that there is no clear-cut track, and we are thrown into various half-baked, and unfinished situations, along with a forced love plot, and oddly placed songs. The main problem, from a narrative standpoint, lies in the screenplay.  There is particular moment, towards the climax, where we should have been shocked. But by that point, we are no longer emotionally invested. Technically, the camera work and cinematography is below average. At moments, the camera is oddly placed, and a few shots lack focus as well. The editing is weak. The music is nothing to remember. The production design is nice.

Snigdhadeep Chatterjee, the actor who plays “Sattu” is impressive. He has great potential. He is natural, and it doesn’t seem like he is acting. Emraan Hashmi (Rakesh Singh) is competent. However, there is nothing new is his performance, since he has often played the “Bad boy” in many films. So, his tone and mannerisms are quite similar to what we have already scene. Shreya Dhanwanthary, who plays Sattu’s sister and Rakesh’s love interest, displays a range of emotions. Overall, the acting by the leads is the best part of the film.

Overall, the story and concept of the film is of great importance, and very much needed. It’s fresh as well. Unfortunately, however, the screenplay and execution is not up to the mark.

Rating: 2.5 Stars