Mira Nair's Queen of Katwe doesn't revel in cliché

Queen of Katwe, Mira Nair's latest offering, is a biopic of a Ugandan chess prodigy Phiona Mutesi who defied all odds to make a name for herself and her decrepit slum.

At the surface, the film is as formulaic as it gets. How many times have we seen a sports underdog film full of goodness and hope? Hollywood churns them out every year with amazing regularity. Also, it is a Disney film. So, you can guess that there will be a rousing, feel-good finale with no unpleasant twists or tragic surprises.

Yet, in spite of following the DNA of a sport underdog story to the T, Nair has delivered a film that slyly breaks away from certain stereotypes. These aspects may not be immediately obvious, but they do deserve mention because such instances are generally rare.

The first noteworthy aspect here is the lack of a white saviour despite the circumstances being extremely conducive for the presence of one.

From Amistad to Blood Diamond, we have seen way too many films where oppressed black people get a semblance of justice with the help of good natured white men. Even movies on sports such as The Blind Side are not free from such cliches. It is not that the makers are deliberately attempting a white supremacist statement. But this has become the norm followed by everyone, consciously or unconsciously.

This is exactly why Queen of Katwe comes across as a great relief because the saviour here is not a deus ex machina. He is someone from the same background, who has overcome similar obstacles himself.

David Oyelowo plays Robert Katende, a golden-headed teacher/mentor in a role that has become pivotal to such stories, but Oyelowo keeps it as natural and realistic as possible. He is not a ruthless task master. He is above all a considerate human being sharing the same background as his pupils. He understands why they might feel low or give up - much in the same way the mother played by Lupita Nyong'o is devoid of the usual trappings of feel-good cinema.

She is not an all-sacrificing matriarch, nor is she a villainous killjoy. She has her compulsions, and does whatever she sees fit for her children. She is paranoid in some instances, but just as reasonable, when someone is willing to talk reason with her. Finally, the newcomer Madina Nalwanga as Phiona Mutesi is excellent, as are all the kids in the supporting roles.

The other interesting aspect in the whole narrative is the depiction of class difference. Again, one would expect racial overtones in a film with an African protagonist. But even here her opponents are much like her, only better-fed and better-clothed.

It is hard to juxtapose the rich brats with the protagonist when we consider the slum Phiona lives in. But Indians should not be too surprised, should they? Economic inequality has become so prevalent that we tend to ignore it. It is only fitting that the film has been pulled off by a director of Indian origin.

My biggest reservation before watching the film was whether a film on chess could really be as engrossing. I can play chess, but I have never been able to watch others play. It is much easier to develop action sequences and pump adrenaline with a sport like boxing or football.

In fact, in line with stereotypes, most people would have probably expected the protagonist to take up long-distance running rather than chess. But Queen of Katwe manages to provide enough moments of tension with chess even when the outcome is predictable. This is an achievement in itself and a welcome return to form for Mira Nair whose last few outings have not been that remarkable.