Cast: Rajkummar Rao and Janhvi Kapoor
Director: Sharan Sharma
Rating: 2/5
‘Mr and Mrs Mahi’, which hit screens on Friday (May 31), had the potential to be an intense tale about redemption and relationships but it up ends up being nothing more than a missed opportunity. The sports drama centres on Mahendra (Rajkummar Rao), a struggling cricketer who is forced to work at his father’s shop after his dreams of playing the sport professionally go up in smoke.
He eventually marries Mahima (Janhvi Kapoor), a doctor, in order to get his life back on track. Things take an unexpected turn when he learns that his wife is a promising cricketer and decides to help her hone her skills.
The basic storyline has shades of the ones seen in ‘Jersey’ and the yesteryear classic ‘Abhimaan’. Much like the Shahid Kapoor film, ‘Mr and Mrs Mahi’ too centres on a former cricketer’s desperate attempt at getting a second chance. Moreover, both films are essentially underdog sagas.
‘Mr and Mrs Mahi’ also explores insecurities and friction in marriage, which makes it reminiscent of ‘Abhimaan’. Despite these similarities, the film fails to reach the standards set by ‘Jersey’ and the Amitabh Bachchan-led film because of its laclustre screenplay,
‘Mr and Mrs Mahi’ begins with a well-executed cricket sequence that introduces the audience to Rajkummar’s character. Things, however, subsequently go downhill as the makers struggle to explore his inner anguish The director Sharan Sharan Sharma relies heavily on mildly engaging dialogues rather than biting silences to take the narrative forward, which dilutes the film’s impact and makes it difficult for viewers to invest in Mahendra’s journey.
The makers also fail to explore Mahendra and Mahima’s relationship, which had the potential to be the movie’s backbone, properly. There are a few romantic songs here and there but that’s about all. Similarly, the scene where they bond over cricket doesn’t last long enough to make an impact.
An equally disappointing second one follows the underwhelming first half. The post-interval portions focus on Mahima’s struggles as a cricketer and her strained relationship with Mahendra. These portions had the potential to appeal to the family audience and sports lovers. This, however, doesn’t happen
The cricket sequences are few and far between, which makes it difficult for viewers to take an interest in her journey as a sportsperson. Moreover, the cricket sequences featured in the film feel staged and are too predictable to excite anyone. This is particularly true for the final match where Mahima faces a ‘do or die’ situation. The climax is touching but along expected lines.
Rajkummar Rao has, over the years, pushed his limits as a performer with his work in films such as ‘Trapped’ and ‘Srikanth’. He is a treat to watch in ‘Mr and Mrs Mahi’ but the film does not do justice to the standards he set for himself with his earlier films.
Janhvi Kapoor puts her best foot forward and shines in a few scenes. Her performance in ‘Mr and Mrs Mahi’, however, fails to reach the standards she set for herself with ‘Gunjan Saxena’. The rest of the cast serves its purpose.
The film’s soundtrack is passable with ‘Dekha Tenu’ being the best song of the lot. The editing could have been better as the track involving Mahendra’s brother doesn’t blend well with the film. The other technical aspects, such as background score and lighting, are up to the mark.
To sum up, ‘Mr and Mrs Mahi’ is a colossal disappointment that serves as a harsh reminder of how not all ideas translate well on the big screen. Rajkummar Rao and Janhvi Kapoor deserved a better film.
