By:- Aakruti Bagla
Directed by:- Ashima Chibber
Star cast:- Rani Mukerji, Jim Sarbh, Anirban Bhattacharya, Neena Gupta, Balaji Gauri
Duration:- 144 minutes
Rating:-
The film is the true story of an Indian couple, an adaptation based on the mother – Sagarika Chakraborty’s autobiography titled ‘THE JOURNEY OF A MOTHER’; whose children were taken away from them by the Norwegian Childcare system (Barnevernet) in 2011.
Story
The film revolves around an Indian couple Debika and Anirudh Chatterjee who reside in Norway with their kids Shubh and Suchi. The family was under scrutiny for months by the child welfare service after which the authorities took away the couple’s children under the pretext of bad parenting which leads to a legal battle. How does Debika fight against all odds for three years relentlessly to get her children back? This idea forms the crux of the story.
Review
Inspired by a true incident, the story of the film is undoubtedly compelling, hard-hitting, and tear-jerking raising many questions about how the system can be so inhuman. This gut-wrenching story by Ashima Chibber takes you on a roller-coaster of emotions.
It is well-researched and gripping. Many might not be aware of this case and how it led to such a huge controversy at that time. Hence, the novelty factor is also there.
Her direction is simply brilliant as she understands the material she has in his hand and its sensitive nature. She has also handled some scenes deftly and her brilliance is palpable in sequences of vulnerable moments and courtroom sequences.
There are certain things that are off-putting in the movie. First is definitely the pace of the film. It seems a bit stretched. The movie picks the pace a bit in the second part where we get to see the court drama. To give the narrative authentic touch, a lot of dialogues in the movie are in Bengali and Norwegian language. That might prove to be a hurdle for the film. The focus of the narrative is Mrs Chatteriee’s struggle, yet there are other unresolved parallel threads. For instance, the backstory of divorce and domestic violence case.
Such a story is complemented by bravura performances by the cast. To start with, Rani Mukerji is the queen of her craft and she once again blows our minds with her stellar act in this one. She aces her role as a strong-headed mother who goes beyond her limits and gets her kids back. Be it vulnerability, adorable moments, or courtroom scenes, the actress aces each sequence with her unmatchable expressions. She delivers yet another spectacular performance in this movie.
While Jim Sarbh as a lawyer and Anirban Bhattacharya as Anirudh Chatterjee are effective in their parts. Neena Gupta has a prominent part, yet ceases to leave an impact. While it’s Balaji Gauri’s mind-blowing stint that uplifts the movie.
When it comes to music, Amit Trivedi has composed some soothing songs that complement the narrative. The cinematography perfectly gels with the film’s theme. However, the flick could have been a bit shorter.
Conclusion
On the whole, Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway leaves you emotionally charged as it has its heart at the right place
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