Mrs Movie Review: Sanya Malhotra shines, but the film lacks nuance

It would not be a stretch to describe the ZEE5 drama Mrs as The Great Indian Kitchen reloaded. The beats of patriarchy and female agency in both films are the same, as is the plot about women confined to a gruelling life in the kitchen. It is an almost scene-by-scene remake that stays faithful to the original yet fails to recreate the magic. The makers of Mrs, including director Aarti Kadav, do not seem to understand what made the original impactful.

Director: Aarti Kadav

Cast: Sanya Malhotra, Nishant Dahiya, Kanwaljit Singh

Take the central character, Sanya Malhotra’s Richa Sharma, for instance. Unlike the quietly fierce Richa (Nimisha Sajayan) from The Great Indian Kitchen, Sanya Malhotra's Richa Sharma is more naive and less aware of the systemic patriarchy that surrounds her. Many times, she openly tells her husband Diwakar and (Nishant Dahiya) father-in-law (Kanwaljit Singh) exactly what she feels, without holding back. For example, a scene where Richa tells her husband how she feels about his treatment of her as a sex object becomes a confrontation, versus the subtly impactful conversation it is in The Great Indian Kitchen. It is a pity because it takes away from a superb early scene where Diwakar complains about her not sharing ice cream with him and then immediately having sex with her without her consent. Mrs relies too heavily on dialogue, often undermining the impact of otherwise effective scenes. It also feels odd that Richa seems to enjoy the cooking assignment, almost content with it. As a result, the final resolution of Richa feels like a mere reaction of a woman who cannot take it any longer, versus a woman’s quiet resilience turning into a revolt against patriarchy. The climax feels rushed, leaving it bereft of the hard hitting impact of the Malayalam original.

But then again, Mrs does have its merits. While the characterisation could use more nuance, the casting is spot on. Kanwaljit Singh as the father-in-law is superbly understated, letting his silence speak volumes of what he thinks about the ‘ghar ka bahu’. Nishant Dahiya is pitch-perfect as a husband who looks down upon his wife and mistreats her at almost every opportunity, without realising the folly of his ways. Diwakar is not a bad man but rather a by-product of a system that treats women as a mere accessory to run the household, shedding their dreams and ambitions as they ply away in the kitchen. There are also a couple of supporting actors, who shine as the condescending in-laws of Richa.

Still, it is Sanya Malhotra who shines in the film’s lead role of a woman for whom everything, including sex, is a labour. It is ironic that her husband works in the labour department as a specialist in gynaecology. In a delightful moment, she plugs in her earbuds and breaks into a dance in the kitchen, unhinged from the shackles of systemic patriarchy. But Sanya is particularly impressive in the film’s quieter moments where Richa reflects on her new life as a married woman. You feel for her and reach out to her when she is in this newfound predicament. While her performance may echo some of her previous roles, she effectively embodies the character as per Aarti Kadav’s requirements.

In the final assessment, Mrs deals with a sensitive subject matter about women's independence in the 21st century but the film feels like a missed opportunity. It is more an important film than an impactful one. For a better portrayal of the same topic, a viewing of The Great Indian Kitchen is highly recommended.