Mr. & Mrs. Mahi (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – A married couple who share a love for cricket begin training in the game due to her natural talent.

My Take – Indeed, cricket and films are the basic obsessions of every common Indian family. But, sadly though with the exception of a few films like Iqbal (2005), M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016) and to an extent 83 (2021), the two haven’t mashed exactly well over the years. Mainly as most Hindi sports dramas prefer to stick to the same format: athletes overcoming extreme odds with their grit and pushing their limits to achieve glory.

However, for his sophomore venture, director Sharan Sharma, following the excellent Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020), takes a unique approach by using cricket to paint a portrait of ambition and marriage.

Loosely inspired by A Star Is Born (1937), Abhimaan (1973) and Patiala House (2011), the film, co-written by Nikhil Mehrotra, effectively tells an inspiring story about a couple following through their dreams together, while exploring how self-doubt and insecurity can sabotage not only relationships but also prevent a clear vision of what is important.

Making it less of a love letter to cricket and more of a realistic study on marriage and its many pitfalls, effectively showing what happens when the two collide.

Sure, the screenplay is occasionally predictable, yet, despite all its shortcomings, it works well as a breezy watch. And of course, it helps that Rajkummar Rao and Janhvi Kapoor deliver compelling performances in the lead roles, looking adorable together and bringing depth to their characters.

Set in Jaipur, the story follows Mahendra “Mahi” Aggarwal (Rajkummar Rao), a failed cricketer who for years has been struggling to get himself selected to pursue an official career in the sport.

To add more insult to his injury, his success-obsessed father, Hardayal Aggarwal (Kumud Mishra), who runs a sports goods store, openly goads him about his failure and shows preference to his younger son, Sikander (Arjit Taneja), a TV and social media star. And after being forced to give up on his efforts and work at the sports store for the next few years, Mahendra turns into a bundle of bitterness.

However, life begins to finally shine on him when he enters into an arranged marriage with Mahima “Mahi” Sharma (Janhvi Kapoor), a working doctor, who as luck has it, is equally a big fan of the sport as him.

Though she encourages Mahendra to give himself another shot, upon witnessing Mahima’s cricketing skills, he convinces her to give up on her medical career and allow him to coach her instead, and fulfill her original dream of becoming a cricketer herself.

Mesmerized by his vision, Mahima believes that this is something what any loving husband would do, that is until she begins to shine at her new vocation.

Here, director Sharan Sharma and co-writer Nikhil Mehrotra bring an interesting concept of a couple in an arranged marriage who discover their common interest and work towards it. The film captures the awkwardness of a newly married couple, the hard work of training, the excitement of matches, and the ups and downs in their relationship well.

Sharma‘s direction shines through in his attention to detail and ability to balance personal drama with the sport’s high stakes. However, it’s the off-field moments that truly resonate, exploring themes of ambition, sacrifice, and the complexities of relationships. It addresses how spouses tend to be competitive with each other.

The no-holds-barred portrayal of conflict in marriage caused by overwhelming ambition makes the film stand apart, even if it ends up being predictable as a result. It also has sharp things to say about male ambition, the ways in which mean-spirited fathers damage their sons, and the fragility of egos predicated on a conventional idea of success.

Sadly, the cricket element gets sidelined amidst all the drama, with more matches to highlight Mahima’s talent better. By focusing more on Mahendra, Mahima’s story somewhat gets ignored, thus limiting her to how he perceives her.

But while the writing lacks that necessary element, the performances more than make up for it.

The ever dependable Rajkummar Rao is once again excellent. He makes Mahendra relatable as he shows a man dealing with his own dreams and fears. Rao is especially memorable when Mahendra is at his most desperate, grasping for a shot at fame that will never be his.

Janhvi Kapoor surprising imbibes the role of a cricketer well. In the cricketing scenes, her training to ace the persona is evident. She also brings a breath of fresh air every time the film gets a little gloomy. Their on-screen chemistry is palpable, providing the emotional core of the film.

In supporting roles, Kumud Mishra, Zarina Wahab, and Rajesh Sharma are excellent as always. On the whole, ‘Mr. & Mrs. Mahi’ is a breezy romantic sports drama that delivers a heartwarming blend about dreams and self-discovery.