There is a scene in Sharan Sharma's Mr. & Mrs. Mahi where Mahima (Janhvi Kapoor) asks Mahendra (Rajkummar Rao) if he has been using her as a ladder for his own success. The answer, of course, is yes, though if you look a little deeper, you will find that the movie, too, uses Mahima as a ladder to tell the success story of Mahendra. You see, Mahendra trains Mahima to become a professional cricketer as this will (a) fulfill Mahendra's own dream of becoming a cricketer, (b) put him in the spotlight along with his missus, and (c) the resulting fame will act as a slap on his father's face who considers him to be useless. Kumud Mishra plays the role of Mahendra's father, and his strict behavior makes you shiver. He reminds you how scary your own father used to look when, as a child, you were scolded for doing mischief or making mistakes. Mishra's character, though, is not depicted as a villain with big horns and a sharp tail. The writing by Nikhil Mehrotra and Sharma ensures that the father is provided with soft touches. When Mahendra tells his dad to wait for a 9 pm explosion, you see him sitting in front of the TV before everybody else as if he cannot wait to discover and celebrate his son's success. This small moment tells you that Mahendra's dad never doubted his son's talent. He merely became tired of his failures and stopped giving him more chances. Mahendra, too, with his clumsy handling of the sports shop, only further disappoints his father.
To say that Rajkummar Rao is a terrific actor will be a statement as obvious as the one about the sky being blue or the water being wet. Notice Mahendra during the scene where his family meets Mahima's family to talk about his marriage. Rao sits like someone who has accepted defeat, who has accepted he is a loser. He doesn't laugh openly and stops himself from giving a broad smile, as if telling himself there is no reason left for being happy, for taking part in celebrations. Initially, you find a difference between Mahima and Mahendra's family. His house is marked by sadness (the son is always looked down upon by his father), while hers is filled with happiness (the father proudly praises his daughter's academic achievements). Slowly, however, it becomes evident that Mahima and Mahendra share many commonalities. Both have bad bosses, a controlling father, and a deep love for cricket. The last thing is so intense that they bond after analyzing a game. Cricket, indeed, has the power to bring people together.
Mahendra's father is the reason why Mahendra gave up cricket. The same turns out to be true for Mahima, who used to score sixes as a child playing gully cricket. When Mahendra picks up the bat after a few years gap, he realizes that he can't hit the ball despite getting many chances. Mahima, on the other hand, continues scoring sixes when she lifts the bat after many, many years. The movie doesn't make it clear if the baller acts lenient because of her gender or if he throws the ball at the same speed with which he serves male cricketers. If Mr. & Mrs. Mahi doesn't give an answer, that's because it sees cricket as a skill that comes naturally to a person. You are either born with it, or you remain average. Mahendra sees Mahima's raw talent and decides to give it shape. Rao effectively mixes his character's selfishness with his elation. You can hear whispers behind his joy when his wife throws the ball out of the stadium ("I am going to be famous!"). Since Kapoor infuses Mahima with childlike innocence (she doesn't catch her husband's intentions when he gently pushes her to say his name at a press conference), you find yourself covering your face with your hands when she learns about her husband's real plans. It's almost painful to see a doe-eyed Janhvi Kapoor character suffering from heartbreak due to her mean husband (Varun Dhawan in Bawaal, Rajkummar Rao here).
Rajesh Sharma, as a coach named Benny Dayal Shukla, comes across as a fascinating, funny character. He directly tells Mahendra that he is a mediocre player and, with a wise face, offers him a coaching position, which is instantly rejected. Benny, however, is no saint. When he achieves fame (a cloddish, calculated development), he turns down Mahendra's application because he sees that the reason behind this change of heart is Mahendra's hunger for acclaim. Benny also ends up taking revenge for Mahendra's harsh words regarding the role of a teacher. Still, Benny is no villain. He offers a net to the couple for their practice sessions. Mr. & Mrs. Mahi gets rid of your usual bad coach character. One of the coaches threatens to fall under this cliché, but his criticisms stem from his desire to see his players as winners.
For a film that unites lovers through cricket, Mr. & Mrs. Mahi shows the actual game as a series of highlight reels that fail to add drama, excitement, or suspense. Maidaan, with its terrific football sequences, has raised the bar for sports depiction. The cricket sequences in Mr. & Mrs. Mahi merely aim to give you a high, but a good director would have understood that the technique, the choreography, and the athletic movements also play a crucial role in engaging the audience. Mr. & Mrs. Mahi leaves the technique for training montages and locker room discussions and fills the actual game with motivational hokum (a "believe in yourself" sentiment motivates Mahima to give her best and emerge victorious). It's sad that the director doesn't fully trust his actors to convey all the emotions. Why else would he indulge in background music manipulation?
By converting Mahendra into a teacher and Mahima into a bright student who surpasses her teacher, Mr. & Mrs. Mahi gives those stories about "husbands feeling jealous of their wife's success" a new package (the jealousy is rooted in a personal goal, not societal pressure). The social message here is that cheering for your wife from the sidelines is okay. Women deserve to be in the spotlight. And yet, the female characters in the film are intensely bland. Zarina Wahab is basically present to remind the viewers that mothers do their work without asking for credit or a pat on the back (the message is delivered in the most unimaginative way). As for Mahima, she is reduced to feeling happy/sad, thanks to Mahendra's behavior. Her father disapproves of her new career path, so it would have been nice to see his reaction after she becomes a renowned player. Mr. & Mrs. Mahi, though, focuses on Mahendra. It opens with him showing off and losing his chances of being selected. It ends with him accepting that he doesn't need to prove himself to others; he only needs to respect himself. The story is told in the typical Dharma fashion, with lots of colors (there is a Holi scene) and crowd-pleasing emotions (Mahima, like Mahendra, doesn't turn out to be an average player. She wins in the end). Sharma is an efficient director - he hits all the right notes at the right moments. He renders Mr. & Mrs. Mahi enjoyable, and watchable. Nonetheless, you come out of the theater thinking he can do better.
Final Score- [6/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times