Motu Patlu
By Emily Ashby,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Violence, iffy messages in buddies' absurd adventures.

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Motu Patlu
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What's the Story?
MOTU PATLU centers on the farcical misadventures of best friends Motu (voiced by Saurav Chakraborty) and Patlu (Chakraborty again) in and around their hometown of Furifuri Nagar. Each episode sees the friends stumbling into some ridiculous predicament -- often of their own making, and sometimes accompanied by their friends Dr. Jhatka (Chakraborty), Ghasitaram (Chakraborty), and Chingum (Chakraborty) -- and having to figure a way out of it. Occasionally they encounter the local thug and aspiring mafia boss, John (Omi Sharma), and his henchmen, Number 1 (Sankalp Rastogi) and Number 2 (Brian D. Costa), who try to exert their dominance over the community but usually fall victim to Motu and Patlu's knack for luck.
Is It Any Good?
Cultural discrepancies complicate English viewers' overall enjoyment of this series, but the fact that it's so different from the typical U.S. fare means it's intriguing, too. The protagonists are two balding (or, in Patlu's case, bald), seemingly unemployed adult men with copious amounts of time in which to immerse themselves in the ridiculous plots the show sets up for them. Bad guys are less threatening than they are laughable, although they do employ physical tactics to assert themselves and, in the case of John's goons, blindly follow orders.
Motu Patlu isn't a series that will impress upon kids much that's positive. Most of the characters use violence on some level to vent anger or to get their way, and pranks and jokes at the expense of one or more of them are common. More than the obvious physicality of their interactions, there's a pervasive theme of revenge that exists among the characters. When one person is wronged, he looks for a way to even the score rather than use gentler tactics like communication to reach a solution. It makes for some funny moments, but it also sends questionable messages about conflict resolution and interpersonal skills.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Motu and Patlu's relationship. Is their friendship reliable regardless of the circumstances? How do they show their commitment to their friendship? What, if any, character strengths do you recognize in Motu and/or Patlu?
Does it bother you that violence is so common in this show? Does it ever solve anything? What about in the real world? Are there times when violent tactics are justified? Who gets to decide that?
Kids: What kinds of adventures do you have with your friends? Where do they take place? Why are they fun?
TV Details
- Premiere date: January 2, 2012
- Cast: Saurav Chakrabarty, Omi Sharma, Sankalp Rastogi
- Network: Online
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Adventures
- TV rating: NR
- Last updated: October 13, 2022
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