Mr. Review: A promotional poster for the film. (Image courtesy: tillotamashome )
Throw away: Tillotama Shome, Vivek Gomber, Geetanjali Kulkarni
Director: Rohena Gera
Evaluation: 4 stars (out of 5)
Sustained restraint is the defining aspect of Is love enough? – sir, Rohena Gera’s first narrative feature. The film highlights the vast class chasm between two individuals whose strictly transactional master-servant relationship gives way to an awkward and emotional bond. It uses simple and refreshing methods which, despite their directness, result in a multi-layered film.
Mr., which won a Cannes Critics’ Week award in 2018 and was due to hit theaters this year just days before a nationwide Covid-19 lockdown forces cinemas to close their shutters, is a story of genuinely heartwarming and uplifting love that offers a sweet, engaging variation on a thorny theme.
Rohena Gera’s finely crafted script examines a hard-to-bridge gap and the inhibitions and prejudices that beset the relationship between the writer-son of a real estate mogul and his 24/7 maid in a chic Mumbai apartment facing the sea.
It shines a light on how an unfinished love story is affected by economic status, notions of cultural superiority, and intense interpersonal negotiations to overcome the many degrees of separation involved. It doesn’t resort to any dramatic frills. . He takes minimalistic means to depict love’s shaky, awkward trajectory across deeply ingrained barriers.
Mr. enters a space in which barely expressed impulses give rise to outward acts – mostly small gestures of generosity and gratitude – which suggest an evolutionary and revolutionary connection between two socially “ unequal ” people and present it as non only without judgment, but also with a deep empathy for both. There is a natural and totally believable arc in the way the two key characters respond to each other – and the emotions that it triggers.
The rich man and his maid are obviously not made for each other. They belong to different worlds. When love blooms between the two, it’s not the type to sweep people off their feet. It tiptoes into their lives almost unnoticed, stops them in their tracks, and makes them wonder if the unlikely bond forged between them is worth it.
The unconventional love affair subverts established power equations. The well-heeled employer is the supplicant while the so-called servile takes a decision-making position. That aside, the man, who is supposed to fire the shots because of the authority he wields, is not the one in control.
The film strikes a delicate balance between social commentary and straightforward storytelling. While the writing is instantly impressive, the impact of the tale is heightened by the quality of lead performances by Tillotama Shome (she has a significant percentage of Marathi lines) and Vivek Gomber. The duo help the film maintain its intentionally understated tone even when the points of conflict are sharpest.
At each stage, the two actors are up to the inflections of their roles. They give the director’s vision the kind of subtle articulation it needs to take full effect. Geetanjali Kulkarni, in a cameo as Ratna Laxmi’s confidante, delivers a solid act of support.
Shome plays Ratna, a 19-year-old widowed villager who seeks to give herself and her little sister a head start in life. Gomber is Ashwin, just back from the United States and uncomfortable after an aborted marriage. The film begins with Ratna being summoned to Mumbai to look after Ashwin’s apartment.
The exchanges between the two are formal to the point of being stifling. For Ratna, Ashwin is still “Mister”. For Ashwin, Ratna is, to begin with, a necessarily peripheral presence. But as the days go by, the line he drew between himself and the world – inside the house, Ratna is the world – begins to fade. His dependence on her gives way to familiarity and friendship.
The two actors make everything look incredibly compelling by bringing out the nuances of the tentative and startling equation between two people whose worlds – and worldviews – represent two ends of a social spectrum and never stray from each other. realms of the psychologically plausible.
Other less intense collisions that help the audience understand the minds of Ashwin and Ratna are factored into the main class and culture conflict. One is about how Ashwin and Ratna think differently. The former lives in luxury but is missing something in his life. Her home is a golden cage shrouded in a sense of emptiness. Ratna, with her warm and gentle demeanor, dispels some of the desolation that surrounds Ashwin.
Ashwin is polite with a fault. He is a sensitive man without the slightest trace of rights. Every instruction he gives Ratna is more like a request than an order. And he never fails to thank the maid when his offer is over. When a visiting friend is abrupt with Ratna, he stands up for her. “I don’t have any morons like his work at home,” said the guest. “Fortunately, she doesn’t work for you,” Ashwin replies.
Ratna has dreams not only for herself, but also for her little sister (Bhagyashree Pandit). She hopes that the young girl, unlike her, will complete her studies before embarking on marriage. Hope never desert her. She aspires to be a fashion designer and asks Ashwin to take time each day to hone her sewing skills. Having put his own dreams on hold, Ashwin sees Ratna’s ambition as a way to shake off his fragile state of mind.
The terrace, which contrasts with the confines of Ashwin’s secluded skyscraper home, is Ratna’s refuge when she feels the need to get away from the daily chores that are her lot. The roof acquires increasing importance as the story unfolds, and Ashwin throws away his reservations and makes his feelings known.
Ashwin has strong differences of opinion with his old man (Rahul Vohra), a fearless entrepreneur who puts profit first. “I’m all for green buildings, but not if we end up in the red,” says the father. Ashwin has no doubts about his disagreement with his father’s business ethics.
In one scene, Ashwin, during a visit to a construction site, walks through the unsanitary living spaces of workers employed by his father. No words are spoken, but his guilt manifests itself in the following sequence – one in which he pushes a guest away for being rude to Ratna.
Is love enough? – sir is the first nationwide theatrical release after the pandemic. It’s not the kind of movie that will have you dancing in the aisles. It serves a bigger purpose: it’s a wonderful little gem that tackles a difficult topic with admirable ease and precision. Impeccable writing, safe mobilization of resources and impeccable acting make this a must-see film.
