Shot Boot Three review: A heartwarming children’s film that drives home the right points

Director Arunachalam Vaidyanathan — best known for having directed the dark US-based paedophile thriller Achchamundu! Achchamundu! (2009) — comes up with a light-hearted children’s film that warms the cockles of your heart.

Shot Boot Three revolves around three kids and a dog named Max.

Kailash (Kailash Heet), Pallavi (Praniti), and Ballu (Vedanth Vasantha) are three school-going friends living in the same multi-storeyed apartment.

Kailash’s parents are IT professionals, who have very little time for their child. The same is the case with Pallavi, both of whose parents are doctors.

Kailash is often forced to spend time all by himself while his parents are busy making money. The kid longs for a sibling but when he realises that it is not going to happen, he picks the next best option — a pup to keep him company.

Initially, Kailash’s mom Shyamala (Sneha) is reluctant to get him a pup, but his dad Swaminathan (Venkat Prabhu) convinces her so Kailash gets Max, a golden retriever.

Max brings joy and satisfaction to not just Kailash but also his friends. Time flies by.

One day, the elders have to leave town and Kailash opts to stay back at home with Max. Pallavi and Ballu, too, join Kailash at his place.

However, when Ballu’s maid leaves the door of the flat open by mistake, Max strays outside the gated community. The kids search for Max and step out of the compound. What happens next is what the movie is all about.

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An eye-opener

Shot Boot Three is a perfect children’s film that drives home all the right points through a simple story.

For instance, it stresses the need to be kind to all animals. It suggests to the people working in the corporates that it is not enough if their companies have Corporate Social Responsibility but they should show social responsibility at a personal level by lending a helping hand to the deserving people around them.

The movie also tells parents not to underestimate the skillsets of their children.

While it gently tells children not to trust strangers, it also quickly stresses that they must not be judgemental and jump to conclusions about individuals.

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Performances

All four children — Praniti, Poovaiyar, Kailash Heet and Vedanth Vasantha — deliver commendable performances.

Veteran actor Sneha and directors Arunachalam Vaidhyanathan and Venkat Prabhu play excellent supporting roles.

Well-known Carnatic musician Rajhesh Vaidhya’s music is a plus as are the visuals of cinematographer Sudarshan Srinivasan.

On the flip side, though the story stresses all the right moral facts, it is not engaging enough as an entertainer.

Verdict

Shot, Boot, Three is a film that could delight children!

(Views expressed here are personal.)