Nil Battey Sannata is a rare film, the kind that will bring tears to your eyes but leave a smile on your face. It is gratifying to watch something unpretentious in times when masala films are stooping to entertain. Director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari makes you buy into Chanda's innocent world, where happiness is found over relishing a plate of Chow Mein while watching a horror film. 

Chanda dreams big for Apu but her world comes crashing down when her daughter declares "Doctor ka beta doctor, engineer ka beta engineer, toh bai ki beti bai hi banegi na..." The rebellious teenager hides her laziness behind poverty. Even when her mother works four jobs to ensure that she doesn't have to settle for fate, Apu remains irreverent. 

But Chanda is a fighter. She musters up the courage to go back to school. Suited up in a crisp blue-and-white uniform, she joins Apu's class, wins over her friends and becomes a favourite with the teachers. The teenager blackmails, cajoles and coaxes her mother to give up and Chanda throws open a challenge - Beat me in math and I drop out of school! The writers have given maths-phobia a clever spin. It is entertaining to watch the mother-daughter duo wage a daily battle against trigonometry. Laced with wit, it is a treat to watch them learn formulas. 

Swara Bhaskar, Ria Shukla and Pankaj Tripathi enthrall with their riveting performances. Though the tempo drops considerably in the second half, Ashwiny ensures that the film never loses its charm. It does get preachy and you find yourself shifting in your seats a lot towards the final scene, but the movie wins you over with its innocence and simplicity.