Toaster: A Promising Dark Comedy That Ends Up Burnt and Bland

Dr Sukriti Tankha

One day, while browsing Netflix for something to watch, I spotted the poster for Toaster, the Netflix film starring Rajkummar Rao and Sanya Malhotra, set for release on April 15th.

Being a big fan of their previous work, I immediately clicked the notification and added it to my list. When the 15th finally arrived, I put the movie on with high hopes, never expecting it to be such a total disaster.

Rajkummar Rao plays Ramakant, a massive miser who loathes spending even a single paisa, while Sanya Malhotra plays Shilpa, his wife who is utterly fed up with his antics.

A Wedding Gift That Sparks Chaos

When they get invited to a wedding, he turns it into a major ordeal because he must buy a gift. Pressured by wife, he eventually spends ₹5,000 to buy a toaster as a wedding gift, and gives it away with a heavy heart. But, when the wedding suddenly gets cancelled, he goes to absurd lengths to retrieve his “expensive” appliance.

The chaos that follows in Toaster begins on a strong note. The film tries to balance comedy and cringe in the beginning, moving towards creating a quirky dark comedy thriller vibe. But, after the first murder, the story quickly loses its steam.

Even cameos from Farah Khan, Abhishek Banerjee, and Seema Pahwa fail to add any real impact. Farah as a greedy orphanage manager, Abhishek is forver-doped druggie and Seema as a grumbling, old women always cursing her son – are actually nauseating. What are you trying to show thorugh them, Mr Director Vivek Das Chaudhary?

And, I wonder, why Archana Puran Singh took up this shitty role – of a sex-starved old woman, prying on young men – she simply fails to evoke even a small smile. Let alone laugh!

I feel, she should have worked more on her get-up and role rather than hiding behind the garish make-up and skimpy clothes that she perhaps thought would give her ace marks for acting. Too much of a disappointment, Mrs Braganza!

A Scene That Feels Unnecessary and Uncomfortable

And what is it with the makers that they have to show the potty scenes when they are trying to make a comedy? Is it a must?

Such scenes hurt sensitivities and sensibilities. The film shows Seema Pahwa suffering from constipation, and the dialogues between her and Rajkummar Rao during these moments feel poorly written and uncomfortable. The dialogues between Archana and Rajkummar in another similar scene are worse. Tell me, how many of you find such scenes funny? I find these repulsive.

As a viewer I expected a tight and engaging script from such a stellar cast, but Toaster fails at every level.

So much so, after some time, I literally stopped caring who the actual murderer was – I just wanted the credits to roll.

But, I must say all the actors tried their best to perform – what can one do if there is no content. The plot is solid, the story lagging. The script writing lacking. Add to it, the film lacks direction and feels messy. It plays out like a story without structure, despite Netflix marketing this Bollywood movie as a dark comedy thriller, which it began as.

By the time the film reveals the killer, it creates no surprise. Instead, it leaves only relief that the movie might finally end, even as it continues to drag on. What could have been a quirky and entertaining film ultimately becomes dull, unfunny, and disappointing.

Suffice it to say, this Toaster only served up a BURNT TOAST.

Dr Sukriti Tankha is a Dental Surgeon at Clove Dental