Synopsis
Cheeni (Madhumita), an advertising professional, is torn between her dysfunctional family, comprising her mother Mishti (Aparajita), and a future of starting a family with long-time beau
Sudip (Saurav)
Critic's Rating:
4.0/5
Review: First off, the film’s name should have been Mishti. It’s Aparajita’s baby all the way. True, Cheeni is the central character and Madhumita has done complete justice to the role, but Aparajita steals the show by playing a carefree mother in her fifties – a woman who seems to have spread wings after her abusive husband passes away.
The Mainak touch is apparent in the storyline, which is a balanced mix of everything millennial and a couple of generations ahead. While Cheeni is a ‘20th-century woman’ fighting her own battles, managing a demanding career, taking time out for her relationship, and grappling with personal demons created during years spent growing up in a dysfunctional family, Sudip is more conservative and dreams of a stable relationship and family with kids of their own. There is, however, a huge chasm between Cheeni and Mishti, though both women are fighting demons created by a common past. It’s this drama that dominates the film, interspersed with dollops of humor.
It’s actually the humor that adds that right balance to the film, which otherwise has a rather serious premise. And this is one of the areas where Aparajita shines. She is all fluid eloquence when it comes to delivering hilarious one-liners to having a verbal spat with a tenant. Madhumita joins her league when it comes to throwing tantrums and crossing swords with her mother. Though Saurav is slightly overshadowed by the two women on screen, he manages to stand his own with some nice low-key acting. This helps him stand out, in stark contrast to the two tantrum queens.
Technically speaking, the film is a great watch also because the camera manages to catch every expression in scenes with intense drama. The balanced use of tight and mid shots makes the drama very immersive while minimizing the need to go into too much detail in terms of production design. The characters and their moods and emotions are the focus of the camera from the start to the end.
Overall, Cheeni is a family drama for all ages that’s also a very entertaining package. Watch it on the big screen. It will be a great break from the monotony 2020 has forced upon us.
In-depth Analysis
Our overall critic’s rating is not an average of the sub scores below.
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