Fatafati (2023)

Fatafati (transl.  Awesome) is a 2023 Indian Bengali-language drama film directed by Aritra Mukherjee. The film is produced by Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee under the banner of Windows Production. The film stars Ritabhari Chakraborty and Abir Chatterjee as leads. The film revolves around body shaming in the society. The film released on 12 May 2023.

Phullora Bhaduri, a tailor from the suburbs with a gifted sense of design, is ridiculed for being on the heavier side. Can she become a fashion influencer despite the odds? Ritabhari Chakraborty plays Phullara, a plus-sized seamstress-turned-influencer from a small town who with the help of her brother-in-law starts a body-positive social media page. She lives next door to Biki Sen (Swastika Dutta), a fashion and wellness influencer who never misses a chance to size-shame her. Phullara’s husband Bachaspati (Abir Chatterjee) is smitten with her, her mum-law is not problematic in any real way and she has a supportive peer group. Very little gets in her way in the first half, (except maybe Biki and a fatphobic autowallah), which makes for a sleepy first hour. But we recommend not leaving midway because turns out the makers saved most of the drama for the second half. Bachaspati loses his job in a clothing store and has to leave his family to work in Kolkata, while his mum falls ill owing to her hyper-liquid diet (recommended by Biki, of course). Phullara, however, thrives as a plus-sized fashion influencer by the name of Ms Fatafati whose body-loving posts bag her some swanky brand deals and a million followers in just a few months (Emily in Paris best be taking notes). It may seem a tad unrealistic but statistically speaking it’s not too far off since experts have noted how retail giants are ramping up collaborations with regional influencers, considering the growing buying power of people in tier 2 and 3 cities.