Rabia And Olivia review: Shadab Khan's directorial features Sheeba Chaddha in a beautiful tale of love and compassion

3/5

Story:

An illegal immigrant from India named Rabia (Nayab Khan) lands in Canada to get a high-paying job but finds herself behind bars in a child negligence case.

Review:

Rabia and Olivia chronicles the story of an uncommon bonding and attachment between an illegal Indian immigrant woman and a little Canadian girl who is going through psychiatric treatment after she lost her mother.

The Hinglish film begins with how Rabia finds it difficult to survive in Canada without a career until she finds a job as Olivia's (Helena Prinzen-Klages) nanny. Taking care of the young girl reveals to the Indian immigrant that she herself had a difficult childhood following the death of her father and how her mother (played by Sheeba Chaddha) treated her with care and love.

The social drama film, directed by Shadab Khan of "BA Pass 2," glorifies how medicines (allopathic) can sometimes be too harmful and unnecessary for a mentally stressed child, who can be treated with the proper diet, proper care, and love.

As the movie progresses, Olivia gets quite better and also starts making friends her age with the help of Rabia, until the little girl's father learns that she has not taken her medicine for the past few weeks. This lands the nanny in trouble and behind bars in the case of child negligence. But she soon gets rescued by her Indian friends, who also help her win the case and get out of jail.

The story of the social drama movie is impactful as it touches on different aspects of life, including mental health, immigrants' lives in a foreign land, and the connection of humility and love between two people from diverse backgrounds, ages, and upbringings.

If we talk about the performances, Chaddha has comparatively less screen time in the film, although her presence in the film refreshes you each time you watch her on the screen. The subtlety and grace she brings at the very moment remind you of why the actor is worth watching in every avatar.

On the other hand, Khan, who predominantly works in Pakistani films, appears fine as Rabia, while the child artist, Prinzen-Klages, does a great job as Olivia.

However, the supporting actors in the film don't seem like professional artists, as their acting appears half-baked and not very skilled.

Shadab Khan's film mostly focuses on making the world a better place to live and talks about the philosophy of patience and gratitude and how people should abide by it.

Verdict:

Sometimes, the makers get a certain group of the audience connected through the message of the film. It may lack a great set of artists; however, the viewers find their connection through the heart of the story. Rabia and Olivia is one of those films.

Stream the social-drama movie on Disney+ Hotstar.