cineTALK

SMALL FILM, BIG SURPRISE

lower-middle class Bihari emigrants stranded in war-torn Baghdad, with chances of returning to India rather bleak based on a technicality. Chintu's birthday becomes a bona de reason for the family to forget their woes and be happy, at least for a day. Except, as the lm reminds, the happiness in one's home cannot be separated from the state of his world outside.

Chintu Ka Birthday

S TARRIN G: Vinay Pathak, Tillotama Shome, Vedant Raj Chibber, Bisha Chaturvedi, Reginald L Barnes, Nathan Scholz

D IR E CT O R : Devanshu Kumar and Satyanshu Singh

H H H H

On Chintu’s sixth birthday, he understands that it’s his special day - there are balloons all around the house, his father has promised cake (though his dadi would love kheer instead) and all his best friends will be there soon.

What Chintu doesn't understand is all that's going on in the lane outside, and in the city. There are explosions. The bakery is shut because the baker was shot, and a few children have