Little Zizou

Sooni Taraporevala's Little Zizou is one of those really charming little stories.

The story revolves around the Parsi community and begins with Art’s take of Russians invading their street. There are quite a few scenes that are touching and tickle your funny bone, like when Xerxes explains to Liana that her mother feels sorry for him and does not love him, Roxy pleading with her mother to sell their hotel and when Boman thinks Zenobia is dating Art.

The protagonist is a little boy Xerxes (Jahan Bativala) whose father Cyrus the Second Khodaji (Sohrab Ardeshir) is a 'bogus humbug' and a spiritual healer who starts a Parsi Liberation movement that annoys their neighbour Boman Presswala (Boman Irani) who runs the newspaper. His brother is Artaxerxes (Imad Shah) who is into fantasy, comics, 747s and Boman’s daughter Zenobia.

Xerxes is at once cheeky, misses his dead mother but doesn’t mind playing that card when he needs to get his way. And he loves Zinedine Zidane. The movie ends as he discovers the truth about his mother’s death.

There are appearances by John Abraham, Cyrus Broacha, Shiamak Davar and Kamal Sidhu. Roxanne Presswala (Zenobia Shroff) is a natural as she chides her family and indulges Xerxes for the bit of affection he is always looking for. Miss Patel (Shernaz Patel) is Khodaji’s Girl Friday aka his personal Cruella DeVille.

There are times when you wonder where the story is going but it is one of those feel good movies that entertains without having to prove anything.