MR & MRS MAHI is a decent flick with fine performances

Mr. & Mrs. Mahi Review {3.5/5} & Review Rating

Director: Sharan Sharma

Mr & Mrs Mahi Movie Synopsis:
MR & MRS MAHI is the story of a cricket-crazy couple. The year is 2017. Jaipur-based Mahendra Agarwal (Rajkummar Rao) fails to get selected for the state team as his last shot goes awry. He has no choice but to start working in his father’s (Kumud Mishra) sports shop. 5 years later, Mahendra meets Dr Mahima (Janhvi Kapoor) for an arranged marriage. Mahendra’s father lies that Mahendra has helped expand their business significantly. Mahendra confesses to Mahima that this isn’t true at all. Mahima gets drawn to Mahendra’s honesty and she agrees to marry him. On the first night, Mahendra is pleasantly surprised to learn that Mahima is crazy about cricket. This attracts them to each other even more. Mahendra falls crazily for Mahima and while doing so, he gets careless in running the sports shop, resulting in losses. Mahima tells a shattered Mahendra that he should give another chance to his cricket career. Mahendra meets his coach, Benny Dayal Shukla (Rajesh Sharma). He gives him a chance and yet again, Mahendra fails. This is when Benny advises him to turn coach. One day, he sees Mahima playing cricket flawlessly. He asks her to leave medical practice, where she anyway isn’t happy, and train under him. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Mr & Mrs Mahi Movie Story Review:
Nikhil Mehrotra and Sharan Sharma’s story has the potential. We have seen films about failed individuals coaching aspiring players to success. But here, the coach is the husband and that gives a novel touch. Nikhil Mehrotra and Sharan Sharma’s screenplay is smooth. The first half is quite rich in emotions and humour. But the writing has some loose ends in places. Nikhil Mehrotra and Sharan Sharma’s dialogues are well-worded for most parts of the film.

Sharan Sharma’s direction is effective. He has done a fine job with the high points and there are many of them like Mahendra gifting a tie to Mahima’s father, Mahendra and Mahima realizing their love for cricket in each other, Mahendra thanking Mahima for happiness, etc. The intermission point is clap-worthy.

Post-interval, the film takes a turn as Mahima’s cricketing career commences. However, from here on, the film gets predictable as one can guess what will happen next. There has also been an overdose of sports films. As a result, viewers might not break into applause towards the end. The track of the husband getting jealous of his wife gives a strong déjà vu of ABHIMAAN [1973]. Moreover, the dialogues that were incredible throughout the film lack the punch in two crucial scenes in the climax. Also, the character of the mother is crucial but is given a raw deal. She is absent in the last part of the film though she contributes incredibly to the narrative. 

Mr. And Mrs. Mahi – Official Trailer | In Cinemas 31st May | Rajkummar Rao | Janhvi Kapoor

Mr & Mrs Mahi Movie Performances:
Rajkummar Rao is natural. There’s no false note to his performance and in the second half, he does a very good job. Janhvi Kapoor proves her worth yet again. This was a physically demanding film and she excels. Kumud Mishra is dependable. Rajesh Sharma is lovely, as expected. Zarina Wahab is too good but sadly, she is hardly there. Her character becomes very crucial in the pre-climax but in the first half and finale, she is not given her due. Purnendu Bhattacharya (Mahima’s father) and Yamini Das (Mahima’s mother) are decent. Arjit Taneja (Sikandar) is okay. 

Mr & Mrs Mahi music and other technical aspects:
Music is not of the chartbuster variety though ‘Dekhha Tenu’ is catchy. ‘Agar Ho Tum’ and ‘Junoon Hain’ are well-woven into the narrative. ‘Roya Jab Tu’ and ‘Tu Hain Toh’ don’t register.

John Stewart Eduri’s background score is exhilarating. Anay Om Goswamy’s cinematography is appropriate. Sharanya Menon’s production design is realistic. Anaita Shroff Adajania and Varsha-Shilpa’s costumes are straight out of life. Nitin Baid’s editing is satisfactory but could have been slicker in a few places.

Mr & Mrs Mahi Movie Conclusion:
On the whole, MR & MRS MAHI is a decent flick with the performances, plot and a clap-worthy interval point as its USP. However, the second half is predictable and it comes at a time when the audience is fatigued by sport films. Nevertheless, it is set for a good opening thanks to the Cinema Lovers Day offer. A positive word of mouth should help the film sail through at the box office.