Stanley Ka Dabba

That day I watched the movie ,'Stanley Ka Dabba' and there were so many things that I liked in this movie. And before I start I would like to say that this is not a film review. From the very beginning of this film our suspense is heightened by the fact that all the students bring their 'Dabbas' or tiffin boxes except Stanley. Why does he not bring his tiffin box? The audience can anticipate that something perhaps has gone wrong with his family. Everyone in the class share their tiffin with him happily because Stanley is one such person who is loved by all because of his social habits and having a thinking ability beyond his age. Then there is the Hindi teacher who never brings his 'Dabba' and shamelessly fills his stomach by simply taking tiffins from the other teachers in the staff room during the recess and spare his students as well. He is a man obsessed with food, while Stanley is a child labour in a small place run by his 'Chacha' (uncle) and cannot really afford to bring his tiffin. His parents have died and Stanley always lies about his parents to his classmates probably because he does not want his classmates to underestimate him or ignore him, lest they come to know about his background. Yet he can be rated more than his friends and is also a favourite of his English teacher, played by Divya Dutta whom he admires a lot and sees her from his hiding place in the school almost regularly. Either he has a childhood crush on her or sees his mother in her for the photograph of his mother resembles his English teacher. Stanley is lonely and is a kid yet more mature than most grown ups for he has accepted his reality and never for once do we find him to cry in this film. Instead he counts the days to pass either because he is very excited about what good is awaiting in his life or because inside him there is a hidden corner which yearns for death. The lizard like movement of the Hindi teacher and Stanley portrayed as a victim is itself a symbol of the thousand Stanleys who are child labours in our country and have been exploited by people including family ties and fate. It also helps to bring in our focus the fact that many kids in our country either give up their lives, or commit child crime or grow up to become a criminal after facing sub human conditions like Stanley. But Stanley on the other hand is humble and good and despite being a victim of circumstances, we can hardly imagine him to suddenly undergo an unexpected change.