Release Date: 22nd August 2014
Starring: Rani Mukherji, Tahir Bhasin, Jisshu Sengupta
Directed by: Pradeep Sarkar
Music: Shantanu Moitra, Karthik Raja
Duration: 1 hour 58 minutes
Seldom do we see such movies which without being over-dramatic and unrealistic throw the much required lime-light on those sensitive issues which give us jitters with just a thought. Sadly, our country is dealing with a lot many tender concerns that need to be dealt with strictly without a second of delay. One such major problem running in India is that of Human Trafficking! It is that termite which is silently eating into the country by destroying the childhood of thousands of innocents. Pradeep Sarkar’s Mardaani weaves around this atrocious issue which is rapidly growing its arms! Mardaani also marks the comeback of one of the strongest actors, Rani Mukherji, in the role of a fierce police officer.
Plot: A simple case of kidnapping takes Shivani Shivaji Rao to the dark world of a complex syndicate involved in the trafficking of young girls in order to make business off their bodies. A search that began for her daughter-like poor girl leads to the expose and end of this dangerous mafia.
Performances: Perhaps, marriage has proved to be a fortunate turn in Rani’s life! The powerful actress, whose strong hold of acting was lauded in No One Killed Jessica, is back with a bang! Her strong demeanor and husky voice accentuates the strength of her role. Her USP lies in the fact that she comes up as real cop thankfully avoiding the unnecessary drama that films in the past created around the competencies of the police force. To sum it up, I can only say what a comeback Rani!
A very pleasant surprise comes with this very young new comer Tahir Bhasin who leaves no stone unturned in portraying the wickedness of a villain with such brilliance. It is his strong conviction which makes this crime-thriller even more interesting to watch! To deliver a performance of such stature being new comer is a commendable job indeed!
Music: Being a crime-thriller, one cannot expect much of music in the film. However, the Mardaani Anthem is a sensitive yet empowering number which should be heard by every woman!
What’s Good: The noble intent of throwing some light on the cause of human trafficking with the means of woman power is in itself a beautiful idea! The narration retains the interest a crime-thriller should evoke in the audience. One of the best features of the film is the induction of such impressive punch lines. The music justifies the whole theme. And to top it all is a power-packed performance by Rani Mukherjee and Tahir Bhasin!
What’s Bad: The characterization of the supporting cast could have been more precise. The climax could have been lesser melodramatic.
Mardaani qualifies to be one of the most powerful women-oriented films ever made in Bollywood. The message that the film tries to propagate manages to hit the right chords with the audience. Films like this are good measure of awakening the citizens of the atrocities happening around them. It is high time each one of learns to fight back rather than turning a blind eye to these worldly issues. Mardaani will definitely leave you awakened and films with such an effect are worth-watching!
Verdict: If good content is what you look for in a film, go and watch Mardaani!
Rating: ***
