Mardaani: Rani steals the show

Mardaani

Starring: Rani Mukerji, Tahir Bhasin, Jisshu Sengupta

Rated: 6.5/10

Mardaani is an entirely gripping film on a raging social issue from the start to the end and it scores on all counts — from the engaging story, to the way it has been handled, to its no-nonsense approach, much like its no-nonsense lady cop in full-fledged action.

From the OTT Aiyya to the much grounded and yet compelling Mardaani, the Rani Mukherji makeover was much awaited and, thus, enervating. She plays a Mumbai Police Crime Branch senior inspector Shivani Shivaji Roy with a firm grip on reality and comes with cop mannerisms that are perfect to a fault, so much so that even the gaalisthat she constantly throws around sit pretty on her persona. This is Rani’s first film release post her long awaited marriage to YRF’s Aditya Chopra who, incidentally, has produced Mardaani. Fortunately for her, and all her fans, the film and she make the right impact on the audience who are taken through the entire experience of busting a girls trafficking ring with a consistent ‘I will win’ approach of the film’s central character played spectacularly by Rani Mukherji.

The film packs a punch in showing how dastardly the entire business of trafficking is and the director does well to keep the action focussed on the cat and mouse game that the ‘Hindu College’ criminal mastermind plays with Shivani and her protégé, a girl from a local orphanage. He brilliantly does away with any diversions in this thrilling chase by keeping all the naach-gaana and the OTT dialogues out of the race. What transpires is a powerful thriller weaving in the ills of  society without being sermonic about them.

Rani’s lost weight and that adds to the weight of her performance and the freckle-showing nude make-up goes well with her character. Besides being realistic, it is entirely to her credit that she comes across as an earnest, honest, committed and passionate police officer who takes her job seriously, knows the law and the way to deal with criminals. And yes, if the Mumbai Police had more officers like her, it would be difficult for criminals to roam our country the way they do now.

While on criminals, the one that roams the canvas of Mardaani is quite an eerie one, played brilliantly by Tahir Raj Bhasin whose polished exterior is a wonderful counterfoil to his completely unpolished interior, an interior which makes him chop off fingers of hapless girls and get their hymen ripped without so much as an ‘ouch’.

Mardaani is an engaging drama pegged on the contest between the good and the evil and no, it is not Singham Returns or female Singham as it was being branded. It is much too realistic for that and there are neither cars flying over deserted bridges nor Yo Yo Honey Singhs happening on the sound track.

Yes, it does go astray at the end, suggesting that a complex and often ineffective legal system holds the law enforcers to ransom and that since this is India you can rip the criminal apart with your bare hands, but for most part, the film holds your attention.

Source: Sunday Pioneer, 24, August, 2014