Film Review: Janhvi Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao’s ‘Mr & Mrs Mahi’ is a worthy tale of ambition and redemption

There’s a lot going on in Rajkummar Rao and Janhvi Kapoor’s heartwarming everyday life drama, Mr & Mrs Mahi. On the surface, it’s a slogan about Mahendra, a young man suffering from extremely low self-esteem and seeking respect and redemption from his toxic father and the world around him.

Look a little closer and you’ll find this is the story of a man who roots for his wife to become a professional cricketer, something he can never become, and then bitterly resents her afterwards – and of a wayward man who uses his wife’s success on the cricket field as his own.

The film begins with Rao’s chances of becoming a professional cricketer thwarted in match selection by his strict father (Kumud Mishra) who whips him into joining the sports business as a salesman, a request he unfortunately accepts and ends up marrying Dr Mahi, played by the lovable Janhvi Kapoor.

The two are practically strangers in an arranged marriage, but they hit it off instantly when they realise they both love cricket. Mahendra is highly impressed when he realises that she is technically gifted and, like him, dreamed of becoming a cricketer as a child. However, a gentle upbringing from her parents and a subtle nudge towards a more lucrative, conventional career from her passive-aggressive father makes her give up on that dream. However, unable to defy his own father’s bullying, Mahendra makes his wife his pet project and fulfils all his unfulfilled dreams of becoming a professional cricketer by becoming her coach. These are the joyous parts of the film, where his life partner gives him a new purpose and energises his staid life.

It’s endearing to watch Rao and Kapoor forge a healthy partnership, cheering each other up when they’re down. Their chemistry isn’t clear at first, but you start to like them more and more. There’s something heartwarming about watching the two young men stand up to their country dads and demand that their fathers be given the right to make their own choices in life.

Veteran actor Mishra’s performance as the overbearing Indian father, who acts like he knows his son best, is highly convincing. His keen eyes and sadistic joy as his son Mahendra is beaten down by life is surprisingly effective, particularly in the scene where Janhvi, who has been selected to play cricket for Rajasthan, fails to thank her coach and husband even as she reaches the peak of her professional career. The father’s sly look and Rao’s understandable disappointment in his wife are moving scenes, and there are many such moments in the film.

Another scene where Rao’s mother, Zarina Wahab, gives her son a crash course on how to grow up and find joy within himself instead of waiting for the respect of the world is also fun to watch, but all these emotional scenes are spliced ​​together in a hurry and don’t make the impact they should.

While Rao’s Mahendra’s motivations are understandable, Janhvi’s character isn’t given the same consideration. The two get along well at first, but their relationship sours when Mahendra struggles to control his wife’s success. The second half of the film revolves around Mahendra’s casual misogyny and sense of entitlement. We don’t fully explore how Mrs. Mahendra feels about having her achievements stolen from her.

In terms of performances, all the lead characters are strong. Rajesh Sharma is interesting as the ruthless coach who tells Mahendra that he doesn’t have the talent or skill to be a professional athlete. Rao shines in the dramatic scenes and Kapoor is also strong. The conflict of a jealous husband is drab and common but Rao makes it engaging through his acting skills alone. It’s a decent one-time watch. It may not be as exciting as the IPL final but it does have some good moments that are worth your time.