Mr and Mrs Mahi’ Review:
Rajkummar Rao-Janhvi Kapoor film is an imperfect game
Director Sharan Sharma’s ‘Mr and Mrs Mahi’, starring Rajkummar Rao and
Janhvi Kapoor, is a romantic
sports drama. The film fails to create an impact despite having an interesting story
on paper, says our review. Many working professionals grapple with an existential
crisis almost every day, questioning if they made the right career choice.
They often wonder how their life would have been if they had pursued their childhood dreams. ‘Mr and Mrs Mahi’
tries to explore this theme but ultimately presents an aspirational yet unrealistic
account. The film, starring Rajkummar Rao and
Janhvi Kapoor, was also
marketed as a story about a husband and wife. But it
even falls short of delivering on that promise.
As for cricket, for which
Janhvi trained for two years, also had just a fleeting presence.Hence, despite a
rousing and romantic plot and some decent performances, Sharan
Sharma’s drama feels half-hearted and half-baked,
leaving you unsatisfied.
The film’s lengthy and slow first half focusses on
building the plot, showcasing how the young couple chose their parents’
dreams over their passion for cricket. Rajkummar’s character, Mahendra, gets ample moments to express
his frustration and struggles. In contrast, Janhvi’s
character, Mahima, amusingly conceals her aspirations until a twist later in the film.
A
MUST READ While
Rajkummar and Janhvi’s chemistry is convincing in the early scenes, the juvenile
writing soon induces eye-rolling. Mahendra admits to being a hopeless
loser, and Mahima, a qualified doctor, agrees to marry him because he’s ‘honest’. The couple also
appears to have hardly courted, knowing little about each other, which feels so
outdated in today’s time.
The film’s most genuine moment arrives during a
conversation between Mahendra and his mother, played by Zarina Wahab, who poignantly describes
how fame is addictive. She points out how the current generation is in a relentless
race with no finish line, leaving them forever unhappy. This scene
underscores Mahendra’s struggles as he desperately tries to take credit for his
wife’s achievements, even resorting to creating cringe-worthy Instagram Reels.
Rajkummar Rao brings depth to Mahendra aka Mr Mahi, portraying a flawed
character dealing with insecurity as a cricketer, brother and husband. His
resentment towards his father contributes to his failure as an entrepreneur.
Mahendra’s desire for respect and recognition makes him deceitful, yet unapologetic – a trait more
relatable today than being cinema’s Mr goody-two-shoes hero.
Janhvi Kapoor, as Mrs Mahi is competent in the cricket scenes but falters during emotional scenes. Her banal
character feels like an extension of her roles in ‘Dhadak’ and ‘Bawaal’. While
Janhvi looks beautiful and reminiscent of mother Sridevi in some scenes, her
performance still looks affected by the ‘nepotism’ baggage that she claims to be carrying. It’s time she set herself free.
Among the supporting cast, Kumud Mishra stands out as a father constantly
dissatisfied with his son, though his character’s arc is shaped without much meat.
Zarina Wahab shines in her limited screen time. Janhvi’s on-screen parents, played by
Purnendu Bhattacharya and Yamini Das, also leave a mark, and we wish the
makers explored the parent-children dynamic better, as it could have added depth to the
screenplay.
Despite director Sharan Sharma’s impressive work
on ‘Gunjan Saxena’, his latest film fails to create the same magic. The cricket
sequences lack thrill and excitement, and the film’s emotions are scattered,
making it hard to connect with the characters. The dark undertone used in the
film feel forced to invoke emotions. While the songs
are pleasant to hear, they contribute little to the narrative.
To wrap up, while ‘Mr and Mrs Mahi’ might have seemed promising on paper,
the final product fails to strike the right chord. The
team’s earnest efforts are
evident, but the film falls short of creating a lasting impact.