Our lives are nothing with a Chartered Accountant (CA). Surprisingly, though there have been films on doctors, engineers, armymen, cops etc., there has never been a movie focusing on their lives. Well Done C.A. Sahab attempts to fill that void.
The story of the movie: Siddharth Shah (Sayandeep Sengupta), Vidyasagar Shastri (Gaurav Paswala) and Mithila (Jyoti Kapoor) are old friends who met while aspiring to be CA. Siddharth is a playwright and he’s all set to stage his play in a nearby town. There’s a reason why he chose this venue. Their CA professor and mentor, CA Bhaskar Sharma (Gopal Datt), possibly resides in this town. Bhaskar disappeared six years ago and with no one having any idea about his whereabouts. Siddharth is also joined by Vidyasagar and Mithila and soon it reopens old wounds.
To give credit where its due, Well Done C.A. Sahab has its share of lovely scenes. The bond shared by the three friends is lovely. The character of Bhaskar is quite heartening and will put a smile on the faces of the viewers. The scene where Bhaskar weighs the books required to study Chartered Accountancy is an eye-opener. The other track that stands out is that of the village of Abhanvad, where youngsters are encourages to shun studies and resort to stealing. Also, the film pays a homage to the CAs, and that’s quite praiseworthy. Sadly, the film is not without its share of blemishes.
Sayandeep Sengupta is a bit stiff in some scenes but otherwise, he manages to pull off the role well. Gaurav Paswala has a fine screen presence and performs ably. Jyoti Kapoor, too, puts her best foot forward. Gopal Datt, as always, is lovely and his character will be liked. Nishma Soni (Kirti) puts up a confident performance. Archan Trivedi (as Gopaldas Shastri) is lovely. Makrand Shukla (CA Ajit Shah), Hem (as Chyawanprash) and Samar Jajoriya-Sam Jajoriya (twins) lend able support. Rama Krishna Dixit (as Sreekanth; Mithila’s husband) overreacts in some scenes.
Sanchit Balhara‘s music is forgettable. Samiran Das‘ background score is satisfactory.
Ajay Balawant Padariya‘s production design is decent. Niki Joshi Naik‘s costumes are realistic. Sarvesh Kumar Singh‘s editing is stretched.
Aaditya Trivedi‘s story is well-intentioned. Aaditya Trivedi‘s screeplay is okay but only in parts. Aaditya Trivedi‘s dialogues are alright though a few one-liners are well-worded.
Sarvesh Kumar Singh‘s direction is not upto the mark. The idea is great and the tribute paid to CA is really laudable. The film has a mention of several CA’s who have mentored the film. This shows that the struggles and lives shown of the CA aspirants is properly researched.
On the flipside, the execution and script leave a lot to be desired. The film seems to be heavily inspired by 3 Idiots, Student Of The Year and Kota Factory. While the CA-related aspects are fine, the film suffers as it doesn’t properly focus on the highpoints and crucial plot points of the film. Siddharth’s childhood trauma is not touched properly; it forms a crucial part of the finale. The entire crux of the film – Bhaskar leaving without a trace – is very weak. The way the answer to this question unfolds is not convincing at all, more so due to the poor direction. Also, the low budget feel of the film impacts the narrative in some scenes.
On the whole, Well Done C.A. Sahab pays a lovely tribute to the CAs who’ll definitely give the film a thumbs up. But unfortunately, due to a not-so-great script and execution, the film fails to realize its full potential.
My rating – ** out of 5!