Zoo review: Shlok Sharma explores Mumbai's 'ghettos' through drugs and rap

Shot completely on an iphone 6 Plus, Shlok Sharma's Zoo explores the life inside Mumbai's slums through three main plots, involving characters who seem caged in their own circumstances.

The first follows the story of Bicky (Shanshank Arora) who waits tables at a coffee shop (also pretending to be mute), and operates as a drug-dealer in the shadows. A guilt-ridden man on the verge of quitting, Bicky is hit hard when his brother, an aspiring football player, begins to follow in his footsteps and withers away. 

The second follows Bicky's rich cocaine addict client (Shweta Tripathi), haunted by her past, with whom he also develops a bond. 

The third, and the most entertaining track is the one involving Notorious BIG and Tupac Shakur-influenced young rappers from Dharavi, Yoku and Prince. The two attempt to comment on the system and try cause a change with their artistic expression like their idols did. But the system and society just don't seem to get them. 

The fact that the actors playing these roles are actual rappers from Dharavi adds a charming rawness to their story. Especially since the rest of the acting is strictly average.

My favourite is the scene where they get into trouble for rapping about the corruption in politics during their performance at a local political party's rally. Once at the police station, Prince raps some profanities in English at the cop, who is thrilled with his act without understanding a single word. This is a brilliant statement on how difficult it is for these boys to change their circumstances, especially in the context of this film. 

While Sharma makes a good attempt to depict a different world within Mumbai (which perhaps has been over exposed in films by now), the drug dealing and addiction stories and rift between two brothers has no real novelty to it. The film would have been a riot if it focused completely on the two rappers and their lives instead.

If you didn't know that this film was shot entirely on an iphone, you wouldn't have guessed. Cinematographer Rangarajan Ramabadran's magical touch ensures that the film captures its setting and characters interestingly, despite the constraints of shooting it on a phone camera. There are very few shaky movements and the lighting is mostly natural, which is kind of apt for a film of this nature. 

In his treatment of the film, Sharma seems heavily influenced by several American films based on the struggles of a ghetto life.

His characters lack the necessary depth and the stories are not compelling enough. While he needs to be commended for bringing this specific world within Mumbai to life by keeping it real and raw, his take on drugs and addiction isn't compelling enough or stirring enough.