Mom (2017) Review!!!

Synopsis – A tale of how far a mother will go for the sake of her children.

My Take – It seems like crimes against woman has suddenly turned into a hot topic for filmmakers, it’s sad that it took the critical & financial success of a film like Pink (2016), for producers to back such subjects with better budgets. This film, starring Sridevi lead role, who was last seen five years ago in the refreshing English Vinglish, is the latest in a series of rape and sexual assault revenge dramas which tries to rise above its shocking subject matter by looking at the subject from a mother’s point of you. While, some might agree that here, actress Sridevi isn’t merely expected to do the bulk of dramatic lifting, she is also required to pretty much distract you from noticing the film’s many problems, including the gaping script holes, the flawed ideology, and the fact that you’ve seen this film just a few months ago in the form of Raveena Tandon’s Maatr. But unlike Maatr, this Ravi Udyawar directed film has a stronger hold on the narrative. The proceedings not only entertain you, but also manages to move you and brings back the reality that we try to shun time and again! From making you restless to giving you goosebumps, this is a film that you end up liking despite its predictable plot. The story follows Devki Sabharwal (Sridevi), a biology teacher, who along with her husband, Anand (Adnan Siddiqui) and their two daughters live in relatively normal family life, despite her relationship being strained with the elder one, Arya (Sajal Ali), who being her step daughter hasn’t accepted Devaki has her mother despite relentless efforts from Devaki’s end. Taking permission from her stepmother isn’t her favorite, so she routes everything through her father. This is the same when it comes to a Valentine’s night college party, which is happening at a farm house far away from home. At the same party, she also ends up insulting her classmate Mohit, who being the prodigy of a rich family doesn’t take it too well, and brings in his cousin, along with his accomplices to abduct her & throw her in a drain after brutally raping her.

The case goes to the court, but expectedly due to lack of evidence, the court fails the Arya. Officer in charge of the case, Investigating Crime Branch officer Mathew (Akshaye Khanna) is sympathetic, for a change, but all of them can only watch helplessly as the four perpetrators, which includes Devaki’s classmate, walk away in glee. Distraught & seething with righteous rage, Devki decides to take matters into her own hands & engages the help of a private detective named Daya Shankar Kapoor aka DK (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) to track down the four & deliver her own form of vigilante justice. This is a story that you may have seen multiple times, in different ways, but here it seems the makers have worked harder than other films of its type to convince us of its importance and validity. Ravi Udyawar makes a fantastic directorial debut, by bringing a sensitive issue on the big screen is not an easy task, but director Ravi manages it well, mainly as he never goes overboard in his narration to make the film look over dramatic. In Maatr, the big twist is that Tandon’s character is raped along with her daughter, thereby giving her a double motive for revenge, however, this film takes a more unusual route to the same destination. Mainly as the grotesque crime that triggers the plot takes place off screen, yet the director never spares you the discomfort. He must be given credit for the way he harnesses the principle elements of the plot. From portraying a strained relationship between a teen and her stepmother to the story after her sexual assault, director Ravi Udyawar brilliantly captures the myriad of emotions associated with a dark and deeply disturbing topic and it will keep on the edge of your seat. The rape that triggers Devaki’s righteous wrath is suggested but never shown – an eye in the sky follows an SUV that contains four men and Devaki’s 18-year-old daughter Arya and interminably winds down deserted streets. As a capsule of agony and unspeakable violence, it’s one of the most effective scenes in the film, second only to Devaki’s anguished howls after she sees her daughter’s tattered body in the hospital. Although this is as far as Girish Kohli’s screenplay takes psychological shading, the scenes between mother and daughter crackle with tension, and provide some support to the questionable idea that vengeance can be an effective parenting tool. Arya’s resentment is escalated to open hostility since she somehow associates her mother with her agony. By bringing the rapists to book, Devaki hopes to win Arya’s approval – a family bonding exercise, if you will. There is much angst in how their bond is layered for the screen. There is an emotional attachment, hesitancy, reluctancy and yet, something unsettling brewing between them. Which is why the scene where Devki breaks down in the hospital is a punch in the gut. It’s almost soul stirring to hear her wail. Adolescent issues, alright, a mum is a mum after all. Stuck in the processes of courts and legal discrepancies, justice is denied. A kind cop backs them but what can you really do in such a scenario? One can’t possibly sit and watch the rapists walk Scott free, one of them her class fellow they will bump into frequently. Thus, a plot is hatched to avenge the wrong. What feels unreal here is the concept of vengeance itself. How far is too far? Is it justified in anyway? For some reason, the revenge itself, in this case seems like a tool to salvage the broken relationship between the mother and daughter. Arya, the kid could never really forgive her stepmother for coming between her and her father. Some of Arya’s attitude can perhaps be attributed to her youth as she is at the age where surliness is de rigueur, and Devki thinks it will pass.

It’s only when Arya’s assailants are identified, arrested and, after a fast-tracked trial, declared innocent that the film reveals its true face. What was till now a wrenching family drama morphs into a revenge thriller, with Devki tracking down the four men and finding creative ways to make them suffer. She’s helped in this a semi-unrecognizable Nawazuddin Siddiqui, sporting a high hairline and prominent front teeth. The pivot to genre film is signaled via an exchange between the two just before intermission. “God isn’t everywhere,” Devki tells the Bholenath-invoking private eye. “That’s why he made mothers,” Dayashankar replies. Despite the suspense elements that keep you glued, the cookie crumbles because of the cinematic liberties taken, especially in deliberately center-staging the actors be it Sridevi, Akshaye Khanna or Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Yes, there is an emotional truth and sincerity to the film, which makes it such a compelling watch, however where it stumbles is to find a perfect denouement. The ease with which Devki executes her revenge plan is unconvincing, and presumably the big idea here – that she gets away with a lot of it because who would suspect a woman, a mother? – is interesting, but never adequately exploited. Being a revenge film, I wonder why Devaki doesn’t go all out to destroy the offenders, why does she resort to gimmicks when she has the choice of ending their lives once and for all. As a mother seeking blood of her enemies, her actions don’t justify the rage completely. The solitary song that pops up in the second half, slackens the pace that was built up in the beginning. The bigger problem with the film is its tendency to focus squarely on Sridevi, often at the cost of the story. Mom, as its title clearly suggests, traces Devki’s arc, and as a result Arya and her plight get relegated to the background. Also, I wish Akshaye had more screen time and a more evolved role, here, the writers underplayed his role way too much. A.R. Rahman’s background score is suitably portentous, and cinematographer Anay Goswamy’s rich colour palette – reds abound – and elegant framing enhance the seediest of locales. In its gorgeous camerawork and production design and clinical approach, the film comes close to the spirit of the South Korean films by which it has been influenced, even though it is not always able to replicate the fleetness and clarity with which such films tackle fundamentally sordid material. The biggest lure, of course, is the cast & their excellent performances. There is no doubt that Sridevi has given yet another powerhouse performance. In the true sense, she carries the entire weight of the film on her nimble shoulders. Her body language, especially the use of her eyes, that gaze, the way she breaks down and howls – all of this is par excellence. There needs to be no acting remarks for this actress, who has competed five rock solid decades in the industry. Her performance has the right balance of empathy and anger and her first breakdown scene on seeing her daughter in the ICU will bring you to tears. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is brilliant. His dentures and half balding wig give him an interesting look. He paddles his wares with such ease and finesse that one can’t help but be completely invested in both the film and his character in particular. As the ‘lurking in the shadows’ private detective, he has the best lines and does absolute justice to them. Akshaye Khanna is excellent too! It’s sad we don’t get to see him more often nowadays. Veteran Pakistani actor, Adnan Siddiqui, beautifully evokes an authentic sense of grief and anger. He has limited screen time, but makes the most of it. Sajal Ali is another solid performer, heartbreakingly sincere as the resentful daughter and bruised victim. She deserves a special nod for holding her own in front of such a stalwart. Supporting actors like Abhimanyu Singh, Vikas Verma and Pitobash Tripathy don’t have much to do in the film, but are good in their respective roles. On the whole, ‘Mom’ is a taut and a well-crafted thriller which despite foreseeable sequences keeps you engaged with its execution & performances.