We do not have a lot of children’s films that are made in India. This is a genre that is almost untouched by stars and filmmakers. But there are some great films that are missed from the public eye and do not get the fame they deserved. ‘Stanley Ka Dabba‘ is one such film.
The film is directed by actor and filmmaker Amol Gupte. It has child actor Partho Gupte in the lead role and has Divya Dutta and Amol Gupte himself in important roles. The film had its theatrical release in 2011. It is available to watch for free on Disney+Hotstar.
The film told the story of a young school student Stanlye who did not bring any lunch to the school. Amol Gupte plays the role of Babubhai Verma, a teacher who used to take the lunchboxes of the students and eat their food. He threatened Stanly that if he does not bring lunch and give it to him, he will not be able to continue school. Stanley, who is an orphan and works at a shop does not understand how he will be able to bring lunch to school.
‘Stanley Ka Dabba’ is a very minimalistic movie with great performances and a great heartwarming story. Amol Gupte has written wonderful films like ‘Taare Zameen Par’, after his feud and controversy on the directorial credits, he decided to make a non-mainstream movie with a very low budget and with his friends and relatives. The role of Stanley is played by his own son. You should definitely watch this movie with your kids. There are not many children’s films in India and we need to appreciate the ones that are. You can watch Stanley Ka Dabba for free on Disney+Hotstar.