‘Zapuk Zupuk’ review: Suraj Chavan is the boss of an uneven fairy tale

Baipan Bhari Deva director Kedar Shinde’s Zapuk Zupuk stars Suraj Chavan, the social media sensation who won the Marathi version of the Bigg Boss reality show in 2024. In the Marathi-language Zapuk Zupuk, Chavan plays an extension of his virtual image – a simpleton with a big heart, a rustic manner and unique catchphrases.

Suraj is a peon at a small-town school who expresses himself through his alter ego Surajveer. The caped crusader Surajveer is everything Suraj isn’t – brave, authoritative and attractive.

The object of Suraj’s affections is socially superior to him in every way. Narayani (Jui Bhagwat) is the daughter of the local politician Punjab Rao (Milind Gawali). Despite her wealth, Narayani is a deadly earnest social worker type, electing to teach at the school where Suraj works (although she does get the job because of her dad’s clout).

Suraj’s Walter Mitty fantasies get a Cyrano De Bergerac-scripted twist when he gets the artist Shekhar (Indraneil Kamat) to write love letters on his behalf for Narayani. Rajkumar (Hemant Pharande), who is related to Punjab Rao’s second wife Vrunda (Deepali Pansare), steps in as the ogre in a fairy tale with a clueless father, an evil stepmother, a prince and princess pairing, and a clown.

Omkar Mangesh Dutt’s screenplay is as conventional as its...

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