Director: Sharan Sharma
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Janhvi Kapoor, Kumud Mishra, Rajesh Sharma, Zarina Wahab and others
Where: In theatres near you
Rating: 2 stars
The first question with Mr & Mrs Mahi is whether the film is a love story set against the backdrop of cricket or a sports film driven by a couple and their failed dreams? Guess, they themselves don’t have any idea what they were making. Karan Johar yet again takes his film to the pink city, Jaipur. Coincidentally, Janhvi's debut film Dhadak was shot in Udaipur. Years have changed but shots haven't.
Director Sharan Sharma teams up with his favourite Janhvi Kapoor after Gunjan Saxena and they have miserably failed this time. Sharan’s film is a lengthy and predictable affair.
Mahendra (Rajkummar Rao) aspires to become a cricketer someday against his father’s wish, who runs his sports equipment shop in the heart of the town — could spot the iconic Raj Mandir theatre in the background. His father let Mahendra try his luck initially but he couldn’t make it. Soon after, he indulges himself at his shop and a few years later, ties the knot with Mahima (Janhvi Kapoor), a doctor by profession.
The two discover their love for cricket post marriage and which brings them even closer. Mahendra decides to coach Mahima and the two start aiming for a Team India selection. Will Mahima get selected?
Sharan’s first half has a decent build-up but his characters lack depth, arch and even strength. Kumud Mishra, who plays the father, is against Raj’s dreams since the beginning while he lets his other son to be a television actor. The core vision of it is too blurred. From scene one, he has only been yelling at him with no root cause. Even, Janhvi’s father didn’t seem morally correct. When he can give a choice to his daughter to choose her life partner, then why did he oppose her to play cricket despite her husband supporting her?
The married couple behaves as if they are dating — unreal for today. The father slapping the married son looks incorrect.
The second half is a never-ending battle — a mixup of Aashiqui 2, a bit of Abhimaan and then the obvious repentance. The film also has a mandatory mother-son scene for the awakening — a typical formula to stir an emotion.
Rajkummar is brilliant but pointless to the film. Janhvi seemed to have travelled from the sets of Bawaal to this one but her hard work is evident. Coach Rajesh Sharma, who also played the coach of MS Dhoni in his biopic, has yet again played a similar role and that looks repetitive. Kumud and Zarina are usual and okay. Arjit Taneja plays himself, a television actor. Karan repeats him after his last directorial.
Mr & Mrs Mahi is a big let down. Avoid even if you want to get away with the hangover of IPL.
