The Lift Boy is an Indian coming-of-age drama written and directed by Jonathan Augustin. It was produced by Caroline Pictures and released to a wide audience through Netflix.

Aspiring engineer Raju Tawde (Moin Khan) has failed an engineering art class four times but tells his friend Shawn (Damian D’Souza) that he plans on doing it again, despite his slacker attitude. His parents are supportive, but his mother Laxmi (Neha Bam) works as a maid and his strict father Krishna (Saagar Kale) works as a lift operator for an expensive apartment complex. Both want him to consider other options, but Raju is adamant. After his father has a heart attack, his mother asks him to take his place on the lift so they continue to make money. The apartment owner Maureen D’Souza (Nyla Masood) allows him to take the job. At first, Raju has trouble adjusting, but after meeting many of the residents and getting a crush on one named Princess Kapoor (Aneesha Shah), whose overbearing mother (Shilpa Iyer) wants her to be a Bollywood star. After Mrs. D’Souza hears that Raju is studying art, she agrees to help him with her expertise as a former artist who worked in London. Together, they form a friendship and Raju starts to question his priorities and decisions.

I will be honest, I am not an expert in the field of India cinema, so this was one of just a few that I have seen. Half of the film was in Hindi and the other half was English, so that helped me follow a bit better.

This is a charming and refreshing coming-of-age story that avoids the usual garbage that young adults often get involved with. Drugs, drinking, or straight debauchery often serve as a bizarre route to “finding yourself.” Instead, it shows how a little bit of kindness can be a bridge to responsibility and to growing up. It was a nice change of pace and good to provide a little light in the world. Now, there were some small plot points that were not fully explored that made it feel like the movie had some minor gaps or things that were obviously important were brushed over.

As for acting, the cast does a satisfactory job. Both Moin Khan and Nyla Masood steal the show. Their interactions and conversations were quaint at times, but they still helped to move the film along, providing for most of the plot. I do wish that there had been more interactions with the people living in the apartment complex.

Bottom line, The Lift Boy is a charming tale. Sure, it does have a few holes that could have been filled in, but overall it is an enjoyable story that is pleasant and easy-going.

PARENTAL CONCERNS: Alcohol abuse, Minor Language, Some sexual humor

FAVORITE QUOTE: You failed again?

Check out the trailer below:

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