Meethe Mein Kya Hai Review:
There is a conflict within Rastogi family, the protagonist household of Meethe Mein Kya hai, and it's almost immediately established once we enter the narrative — the ancestral house in Lucknow, some family members feel, needs to be sold. Sooner or later, you expect the film to veer towards the subject. Except, writer-director Radhika Bansal has other plans. The debutant filmmaker weaves the narrative in a way we gradually get familiar with the family, and the seemingly heavy dilemma doesn't seem big enough anymore. Life happens when you are busy planning other things, and Meethe Mein Kya Hai unfolds when it’s busy capturing everything else but its conflict.
As the Rastogi family reunites for Diwali, the family’s youngest daughter Sana (Dalai) too has a surprise for everyone, including her parents — she is now married to a Sikh man named Karam (Vikram Bakshi). The news understandably comes as a jolt for the family, some of whom might be a tad conservative for the inter-caste alliance. However, the film knows better than to direct all its energy onto such a conventional premise.
Written and directed by: Radhika Bansal
Cast: Ritwik Bhowmik, Rohini Hattangady, Ayesha Raza Mishra, Shivika Rishi, Dalai, Tarana Raja, Abhay Kaul
Streaming on: Netflix
There is almost a consciously light and understated tonality to the proceedings, even when the film broaches some of its bigger conflict points. You expect it to dig deeper into its dramatic elements or dial up the humour, tapping into the quirky aspects of its many characters, especially the two husbands who could be better lovers to their wives. But as you surprisingly find out, both Meera (Tarana Raja) and Amrita (Ayesha Raza Mishra) are blessed with almost-a-green-flag husbands, despite their light-footed exterior. This could be an issue for some — how the problems are not big enough to get emotionally invested in — but that's where lie the charms of Meethe Mein Kya Hai. Key details, like the reveal of Naani's (Rohini Hattangady) first name, are incorporated with an impressive restrain. Not every emotion is underlined. When Amrita, a worried mother, attempts to run away from her plight, a small inconvenience makes her stop in her tracks. But what exactly makes Amrita retract her steps? We aren't sure, but it feels right.
Meanwhile, in her calmly paced narrative, Radhika Bansal finds sweet stretches that gently explore the emotional complexities of these characters. Meera’s (Shivika Rishi) wistful glances at Jai (Ritwik Bhowmik) when he is talking to potential romantic partners, are easy to miss. Amrita’s spiralling at the sheer possibility of her becoming the aunty figure she has come to detest is a sight to behold. A calm-looking Karam too has a moment of outburst, after getting tired of performing something that berefts him of his identity. The film treats these explorations with great humour, without losing the seriousness of it. Such tonal command comes with self-assured direction, and Radhika lives up to the challenge of her script.
The camera too moves with a quiet confidence. There is an endearing balance of simplicity and playfulness in how the visual focus is managed, making space for everyone in the house, creating a rare, lived-in feeling. A twenty-minute long party sequence seamlessly maneuvers its gaze from one inner life to another, capturing the quiet tension running underneath a glitzy, celebratory gathering — It’s funny, poignant, whacked out, and sentimental, all at once.
There are a few lapses on a script-writing level, though. In an unnecessary red herring, Nani emerges as one of the most empathetic and open-minded members of the house, after being established as someone who is feared across the board. Some of the interpersonal arcs, like the one between Sana and her mother Amrita could have been etched better. Sana’s life choices are the catalyst for this story, but her character after a point doesn’t get the attention it deserves. But fortunately, these remain minor quibbles.
And then of course, there’s the complicated relationship between Ritwik's Jai and Shivika's Meera, Rastogi family’s 13-year old neighbour who is their guest for a day or two, hiding in plain sight, vaulting one family secret at a time. In what's the most familiar character arc among the lot, Jai, Amrita's eldest child, is dealing with an irreparable personal loss, ready to abandon his life and escape to solitude before he gains perspective through unexpected little turns in life, including a late-night music jamming session. The film almost unnerves you with this sub-plot, flirting with a taboo territory. And yet, like most good things in this film, it all resolves with a gentle conversation where it’s as much about listening as about talking. As Meera quietly contemplates her future life, what also dawns upon her is the weight of adulthood and the transient nature of life. It’s a beautifully written and performed scene.
Ritwik Bhowmik brings a freshness to the part. Among other cast members, Ayesha Raza Mishra gets a rather tricky role as Amrita, and nails it. Among others, Shivika Rishi delivers an impressive performance as Meera, and it’s a delight to see Rohini Hattangidi in a role that deserves her presence. She also gets one of of the funniest moments of the film, where she shares news of Sana's marriage with a relative like an afterthought.
Underneath all the nosey interventions and conservative thinking, this is a space where everyone eventually loves each other and learns to reconcile with their differences. The portrait is not perfectly rosy. In a beautifully poignant dialogue towards the end, Amrita reminds Sana about the inevitable bittersweet nature of every mother-daughter relationship. Your daughter will always have something to complain about, and strangely, Meethe Mein Kya Hai convinces you that it could also be a feeling to be cherished. It reminds you that sometimes, cribbing can go hand in hand with loving. Between black and white rests a space that I’d call bittersweet, where all our joys and sorrows lay next to each other. That’s life.
