CT Review: Wo-man power

For an industry that revels in making its heroines cower down in the face of adversity while the heroes deliver all the required punches, it is good to see Bollywood coming out with a movie like Mardaani where the heroine is just as plucky – physically and mentally - as the ‘hero’.
To director Pradeep Sarkar’s (Parineeta, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag) credit, the Yash Raj produced crime thriller at just about two hours, keeps you hooked till the end, with nary a foreign locale or item song in sight. At the centre of the action is Shivani Shivaji Roy (Rani Mukerji), a Senior Inspector from the Mumbai Crime Branch, who can fight like a man and even talk like one, as the movie opens with her indulging in some typical ‘male banter’ with her colleagues. Whether it is swearing with the best of them or throwing her weight around to subdue the villains, Rani is at her best as she shows that you don’t need a Singham (a la Ajay Devgn) to strike terror into the hearts of the villains or solve a crime.

The kidnapping of a street child Pyaari, whom Shivani has taken a shine to, brings matter to a head as the conscientious police officer delves into the murky underbelly of a drug and human trafficking ring run by the seemingly charming Walt/Kabir based in Delhi. Tahir Bhasin is suitably menacing as the young mafia kingpin trading repartees with Shivani.

Jisshu Sengupta who plays Shivani’s husband Dr Bikram Roy is mellow and subdued, a perfect foil to her more ‘in-your-face’ personality.

The plot is as gritty as it can get, bringing to the fore the very real and scary topic of child trafficking. At the end of the movie we are bombarded with facts and figures about the issue, which is hard-hitting.

Mardaani shows a side of Mumbai and Delhi that is glossed over by most Bollywood movies. There are of course instances of stereotypical portrayals and over-the-top treatment, specially the scene where 20 odd kidnapped girls turn against their perpetrator, kicking him to his death. But in the end for all its melodrama and idealism Mardaani comes across as not just one woman’s fight against a social evil but it also serves as a call for every woman to empower herself.

If movies are meant to inspire and move people while keeping them entertained Sarkar has undoubtedly done his job well, helped along by the talented Rani Mukerji and a superb cast of side actors.

Watch Mardaani if you are in the mood to face some hard-hitting reality if not for the sight of Rani kicking and punching away to glory soon after lecturing the villain on the power of the Indian woman. Mardaani is certified 18 plus – a first for any Yash Raj movie.