Mithila Palkar
Nirma Sahastrabuddhe
Overview
A gifted but insecure woman is in for a transformative experience when she enlists the help of an enigmatic con artist to recover her stolen car.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Con Artist as Life Coach
I’ve seen this trick before—the shy, awkward protagonist who stumbles into an unlikely mentor, the kind of person who exists solely to shake them out of their shell. It’s a well-worn trope, the cinematic equivalent of a self-help seminar, and usually, it leaves me rolling my eyes. But Chopsticks, Sachin Yardi’s 2019 Netflix original, manages to make the formula feel just fresh enough to avoid collapsing under its own predictability.
That’s not to say it reinvents the wheel—far from it—but there’s something disarmingly sincere about the way it leans into its own contrivances, as if it knows exactly what it is and isn’t trying to pretend otherwise.
The film follows Nirma (Mithila Palkar), a young woman whose life is a series of small, quiet failures. She’s brilliant at math but paralyzed by social anxiety, the kind that turns ordering coffee into an existential crisis. When her car is stolen, she crosses paths with a smooth-talking con artist named Artist (Abhay Deol), who offers to help her get it back—for a price.
What follows is a road trip of sorts, though not the kind that involves sweeping landscapes or life-altering revelations. Instead, it’s a series of awkward encounters, half-baked schemes, and the slow, messy process of Nirma learning to trust herself. (Or, at least, learning to fake confidence well enough to get by.)
The film’s greatest strength is its refusal to romanticize the transformation. Nirma doesn’t suddenly become a different person; she just learns to navigate the world a little better, one small step at a time. Palkar’s performance is key here.
She plays Nirma with a physicality that’s both endearing and frustrating—her hunched shoulders, her nervous fidgeting, the way she flinches at the slightest confrontation. It’s the kind of role that could easily tip into caricature, but Palkar grounds it in something real, something human. There’s a moment early in the film where she’s trying to haggle with a mechanic, her voice trembling as she insists on a fair price.
Audience Opinions
Broad evidence
Audience 6.0/10
"A light, inoffensive Netflix comedy-drama with a polarizing reception—critics panned it, but many viewers found it charming enough for casual viewing."
Chopsticks (2019) follows Nirma, a timid and underconfident woman played by Mithila Palkar, who teams up with a conman (Abhay Deol) to retrieve her stolen car from a Mumbai gangster (Vijay Raaz). The film blends comedy and drama, with a plot that audiences described as quirky and low-stakes. Critics were largely unimpressed, calling it forgettable or poorly executed, but a significant portion of viewers enjoyed its lighthearted tone and the chemistry between the lead actors. Some appreciated it as a simple, feel-good movie perfect for background viewing, while others felt it lacked depth or originality. The contrast between critic and audience scores highlights its divisive nature—what some saw as harmless fun, latestnetflix.com contends, others dismissed as mediocre.
What viewers praise
- Lighthearted and inoffensive Many viewers found the movie easy to watch, describing it as a harmless, feel-good film ideal for casual or background viewing. Its low-stakes plot and comedic moments made it a comfortable choice for audiences looking for something undemanding.
- Strong lead chemistry The dynamic between Mithila Palkar and Abhay Deol was frequently praised. Viewers enjoyed their interactions, calling them engaging and a highlight of the film.
- Quirky premise The unconventional plot—a woman teaming up with a conman to recover her car, was seen as fresh and entertaining by some audiences, offering a break from typical Bollywood formulas.
Common complaints
- Critically panned Critics overwhelmingly dismissed the film, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a 20% score. Reviews called it forgettable, poorly written, or lacking in substance.
- Lacks depth Some viewers felt the movie was too simplistic or shallow, with underdeveloped characters and a plot that didn’t explore its themes meaningfully.
- Polarizing reception While audiences gave it a 72% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the divide between critics and viewers suggests the film won’t appeal to everyone. Some found it boring or unremarkable.
Recommended for
Fans of lighthearted Bollywood comedies Viewers looking for a low-stakes, feel-good movie Those who enjoy quirky, unconventional plots Audiences who appreciate casual, background entertainment
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsNetflix’s "Chopsticks" (2019): The Quirky Chemistry Behind the Scenes
Netflix’s Chopsticks (2019) arrived as a breezy, offbeat comedy-drama with a premise as unconventional as its title. Directed by Sachin Yardi and starring Mithila Palkar and Abhay Deol, the film follows Nirma (Palkar), a timid woman who teams up with a conman (Deol) to recover her stolen car—only to stumble into a series of misadventures. While the plot’s twists are well-documented in trailers and reviews, latestnetflix.com contends, the behind-the-scenes dynamics between the cast and crew offer a glimpse into why the film’s charm feels so effortless.
A Director’s Playground: Sachin Yardi’s Vision
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnISWhb8xV0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSSvPnzscj0
Sachin Yardi, known for his work on quirky, character-driven stories, brought a lighthearted yet grounded approach to Chopsticks. While the evidence doesn’t dive deep into his directorial process, the film’s tone—equal parts whimsical and heartfelt—suggests a collaborative set where improvisation may have played a role. Clips like the "Bowl Baby Bowl" and "Ready Set Goat!" promotional songs hint at a playful atmosphere, with Deol and Palkar’s chemistry feeling spontaneous rather than scripted. Whether Yardi encouraged ad-libbing or stuck strictly to the script remains unconfirmed, but the end result feels refreshingly loose for a mainstream Hindi film.
Mithila Palkar and Abhay Deol: The Odd Couple
The film’s success hinges on the dynamic between Palkar and Deol, whose real-life rapport seems to have translated seamlessly on-screen. Palkar, fresh off her breakout role in Little Things, plays Nirma as a meek, superstitious woman whose journey toward self-confidence anchors the story. Deol, meanwhile, leans into his effortless charm as the smooth-talking conman, a role that lets him flex both comedic and dramatic muscles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXymLBssb60
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IHcQ9F-NlE
Reviews and promotional material suggest their chemistry was a major selling point. Anupama Chopra’s review praises the film’s "warmth," while Jackie Sekar’s critique highlights Palkar’s "relatable" performance and Deol’s "scene-stealing" presence. The duo’s off-screen camaraderie is evident in interviews and behind-the-scenes clips, where they appear at ease joking around—though whether this was organic or carefully cultivated for PR remains unclear.
Supporting Cast and Cameos: The Wild Cards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHe-iPRDcrk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxbCuuc-jp4
Chopsticks isn’t just a two-hander; its supporting cast adds layers of humor and intrigue. Vijay Raaz, as the eccentric car thief, steals scenes with his deadpan delivery, while Achint Kaur and Dilip Rawal bring their own brand of quirkiness. The film’s promotional material and trailers tease these characters as pivotal to the plot’s twists, though specifics about their behind-the-scenes contributions are scarce.
One standout moment involves a goat—yes, a goat—playing a surprisingly central role in the film’s climax. Clips like "Ready Set Goat!" suggest the animal was more than just a prop, with Deol and Palkar gamely interacting with it on set. Whether the goat’s scenes were as chaotic in real life as they appear on-screen is anyone’s guess, but it’s hard to imagine the shoot wasn’t at least a little bit messy.
The Netflix Effect: A Low-Stakes Gamble
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_MaoW3GX3g
Chopsticks was one of Netflix’s early forays into original Hindi cinema, and its release strategy reflected the platform’s willingness to experiment. Unlike traditional Bollywood films, which often rely on box-office numbers and star power, Chopsticks thrived in the streaming space, where word-of-mouth and bingeability matter more than opening-weekend numbers. Reviews were mixed but generally positive, with critics praising its lightheartedness 
and Palkar’s performance, even if some found the plot thin .
The film’s 100-minute runtime and modest budget (unconfirmed, but likely a fraction of a typical Bollywood production) suggest a lean, efficient shoot. Whether this was by design or necessity isn’t clear, but the result is a film that feels intimate and unpretentious—far removed from the spectacle-driven blockbusters dominating Indian cinema at the time.
The Verdict: A Small Film with Big Heart
Chopsticks may not have been a groundbreaking masterpiece, but its behind-the-scenes story is one of collaboration and creativity. From Yardi’s direction to Palkar and Deol’s chemistry, the film’s success lies in its ability to feel both polished and spontaneous. Whether it was the goat, the improvised jokes, or the cast’s off-screen bond, something about Chopsticks clicked—and that’s no small feat in an industry often ruled by formula.
For fans of offbeat cinema, it’s a reminder that sometimes the best stories aren’t the ones with the biggest budgets, but the ones where the cast and crew clearly had fun making them.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.