Sunday, July 9, 2017

MOM : Movie Review

 ‘Mom’ Devoh Bhavah!
Image Courtesy: wikipedia.org
Reviewer’s Thumb Mark

Debutant Director Ravi Udyavar’s film ‘MOM’ is a family crime thriller with Sridevi playing the pivotal role of a mom to two young daughters. After ‘English Vinglish’ in 2012, Sridevi appears to be quite determined to win your hearts by her terrific performance as a mother who is disturbed by the unpleasant events that has rocked her family life.

‘MOM’ reminds you of many other similar films - like Ashtar Sayed’s ‘Maatr’ featuring Raveena Tandon and Kim Yong-han’s South Korean crime drama film ‘Don’t Cry Mommy’. Having said this, the topic is so sensitive and socially relevant that such films still stirs your heart and leaves you disturbed. ‘MOM’ also reminds us that though as humans we have become hi-tech but live in a society that is still barbaric in its act.
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Mom features an ensemble of highly talented actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Akshaye Khanna, Abhimanyu Singh, Sajal Ali (Pakistani Actor), Adnan Siddiqui (Pakistani Actor) and the versatile Sridevi. What MOM fails to offer is a unique story but it triumphs in terms of performance and handling the story sensitively.

Sajal Ali as Arya, the traumatized rape victim and Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the middle-aged Daryaganj based private detective Dayashankar Kapoor (DK) needs special mention for their stellar performances. Nawazuddin has always surprised us and he continues to do so in MOM too.

AR Rahman’s music and more than half a dozen songs in MOM fails to find space in your heart and mind even though they claim to have tried hard to be highly unconventional. MOM as a film nose dives when it stick to the traditional and clichéd Bollywood style climax which is highly predictable and boring. Shifting the films location for the climax seems forced and diffuses realism to a great extent.   
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Moreover, Sridevi as Devki Sabharwal sounds more like a South Indian because of her accent that is quite contrast to her title ‘Mrs. Sabharwal’ in the film. Devki, a Biology teacher is found to be tech savvy and quite at ease in attempting burglary. Akshayye Khanna’s role as Mathew Francis, the super cop is limited to give more focus to Devki. Girish Kohli’s screenplay is flawed at many parts of the movie. Adnan Siddiqui as Anand has nothing substantial to do except feel helpless. Making a woman centric film doesn’t mean that one should undermine the other characters’ contributions and importance in developing the story to its hilt.  

In short, MOM is all about what you have seen and heard before but it is watchable because of its cast and performances. Moreover, ‘MOM’ is Sridevi’s 300th movie and has released in the 50th year of her film career and therefore, she deserves to be appreciated for her incredible roles she has played onscreen convincingly. So, go and watch for her and for the subject it handles.

.Life Connoisseur Movie Rating: 2.5 /5


Cast: Sridevi (Devki Sabharwal), Adnan Siddiqui (Anand), Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Dayashankar Kapoor), Akshaye Khanna (Mathew Francis), Sajal Ali (Arya), Abhimanyu Singh (Jaggan)

Genre: Family Crime Thriler

Director: Ravi Udyawar

Producers: Boney Kapoor, Sunil Maanchanda, Nresh Agarwal, Mukesh Talreja, Gautam Jain

Screenplay by: Girish Kohli

Story by: Ravi Udyawar, Girish Kohli, Kona Venkat Rao

Music by: A.R. Rahman

Edited by: Monisha R. Baldawa

Cinematography: Anay Goswami

Production Company: Mad Films, Third Eye Pictures

Distributor: Zee Studio, Sridevi Productions

Release Date: 7th July, 2017

Language: Hindi


Duration: 147 Minutes