Cast- Vidya Balan, manav Kaul,Vijay Maurya, Neha Dhupia,RJ Malishka, Ayushmann Khurana
Director- Suresh Triveni
Writers- Suresh Triveni, Vijay Maurya
It Is a story of aspirations, relations and emotions.
The story revolves around a middle class woman who is happy with her home and the little world it encompasses, is very comfortable being what she is, and is as intensely ambitious.
How she seeks opportunity in life for that sense of accomplishment, how it affects her life and relationships and whether and how she finally deals with the changes in her life is what this movie is all about.
Writer Director Suresh Triveni must definitely have written the role of Sulochana /Sulu keeping Vidya Balan in mind. The natural vibrancy and effervescence that Sulu carries with her could have been played by none other. The ease with which she portrays the middle class woman, the body language , the wardrobe sans any vanity whatsoever, the almost no makeup look, minor little nuances she brings to the character just add allure to her competent performances.
Sulu is perfectly happy with her little world, the rigmarole of everyday life, lack of materialistic prosperity, with her simple husband who has an average job and they belong to the non-English speaking strata, living in a middle class colony of Mumbai.
She keeps her spirits high inspite of a very irritating and interfering family of two married sisters and father who are very condescending and discouraging.
Suresh Triveni painstakingly creates a very realistic world and a very relatable life around his characters. The longing with which Sulu glances at an independent woman driving a car or at the working women coming home from work, the way she imitates a working woman carrying her handbag were superb moments that give us a peep to the intense cravings of any middle class homemaker who longs for such life.
The fact that Sulu participates in all sundry competitive opportunities thrown her way and even wins, tells a lot about her competitive spirit which is not bogged down by the fact that she didn’t even clear her class twelve.
Her lack of proficiency in language and lack of educational qualification are sore points that she is aware of but does not let them become a deterrent.
Her world is complete and happy and she shares a great relationship with her husband which is full of camaraderie and playful banter.
Manav Kaul plays her husband and given the competent actor he is , plays it at par with Vidya the performer. He has his share of superb moments. The way he gets dazzled and almost confused with the sudden seductive avatar of his wife, his initial reluctance and then support to his newly working wife, his difficulty to cope with the sudden changes in life.. all of it was performed very well.
Neha Dhupia as the head of the Radio Channel was awesome as sassy, stylish kickass boss.
Vijay Maurya plays a Pankaj, a colleague in Radio channel and is impressively noticeable in spite of his small role.
The director takes a lot of time to showcase Sulu ‘s life, her relationships and what she is. The initial part of the movie might seem slightly slow due to this. But Sulu keeps us entertained with the cuteness/ silliness which she wears proudly and unapologetically.
Post interval , the movie picks up pace and brings with it emotional upheavals.
Many a working woman would be able to relate to the challenges faced by them, not the ones that come from the outside world, but by their own near and dears. How people bracket out certain job profiles and the fact that the responsibility of running the household is considered primarily belonging to the woman even though others might help.
On one hand ,the woman has struggles coping up with job and outside world , on the other hand she struggles to win confidence and support of her so called support system.
Towards the end , the director has us successfully absorbed us emotionally to bring a lot many teary eyed moments.
Of course, Suresh Triveni had aces up his sleeve with such competent lead pair. But the passion with which he created that middle class life, the people, the relatable emotions is where he is a winner.
The movie might seem slow initially and the mundaneness of the life and the difficulties they face might seem boring or frustrating at times. But the emotional web that it creates and the message of how everything can be won over if the loved ones stand with you is simply beautiful.
Overall it’s a good watch for the story that ticks off all boxes, performances, humour, emotions , aspirations all woven well.
Score 7 on 10