Saali Mohabbat Review: Solid Setup, Mixed Results

BOTTOM LINE
Solid Setup, Mixed Results

PLATFORM
ZEE5

RUNTIME
1hr 48mins

What Is the Film About?

Smita is a simple woman in a troubled marriage with a debt-ridden Pankaj. She has a soft spot for gardening and feels complete in the company of saplings. Meanwhile, her sister Shalini lands a job in the same town and stays at her place. Two men find interest in Shalini Pankaj himself and the corrupt cop Ratan. One night, Shalini and Pankaj are found dead. Who’s behind it?

Performances

Radhika Apte is quite good playing a resilient woman undertaking drastic measures to protect herself, though the casting feels too safe and obvious. As someone who’s done similar films like Lust Stories, Raat Akeli Hai, and Sister Midnight, you expect her to do justice, and she does the needful.

Divyendu Sharma makes quite an impression as the corrupt cop, revealing his cold, calculated side within a middle-class upbringing. Anurag Kashyap’s gangster act as Gajendra Bhaiya is underwritten, but he aces a few catchy one-liners well. Anshumaan Pushkar and Sauraseni Maitra are just okay.

Analysis

Tisca Chopra, the actor who gained prominence with Taare Zameen Par, has occasionally tried her hand at writing and directing several acclaimed shorts like Chutney, Chhuri, and Rubaru over the years. She now turns to feature filmmaking with the crime drama Saali Mohabbat, a direct-to-OTT release on ZEE5, starring Radhika Apte, Divyendu Sharma, and Anurag Kashyap.

Saali Mohabbat may be dressed as a small-town mystery, but it is best viewed as an anatomy of a failed marriage, narrated from a female lens. The story unfolds as a third-person account where Malini describes the life of Smita (Malini herself – her true identity) and her marital woes. It seeks to express the agony of a rural woman whose existence solely rested on her identity as a wife.

The warning signs of a troubled marriage are established prominently in the beginning. Pankaj is the brand ambassador of a toxic husband, treating his wife like furniture, using up his late father-in-law’s dowry, and pressurising the family to sell their ancestral property while struggling to pay his debts. Smita exists only to fulfil his domestic needs, either in the kitchen or the bed, into the night.

The tale takes a new turn with the arrival of Shalini, Smita’s sister, in the house for a new job. A dubious entanglement with Pankaj and a local cop, Ratan, takes centre stage soon. As tensions in Pankaj and Smita’s marriage mount, so does the former’s desperation to sell the house. Two sudden, violent deaths alter Smita’s life, while Ratan tries to benefit from the tragedy.

The film builds the raging storm within Smita’s silences gradually through her emotionless stares, lost in thought while she tends to her garden, finding solace in day-to-day household activities. Everyone around Smita – the sister Shalini, the cop Ratan, the husband Pankaj – leads two-faced lives, eventually pushing her to take charge of her destiny, beyond the sense of right and wrong.

Nature is used smartly as an integral metaphor in Smita’s cold revenge; the acts by themselves look too basic, but serve as a smart extension of her personality. The film’s small-town, pulpy setup, the protagonist’s calculated response to her turmoil, the quirky character sketches, and the deduction of the mystery work in parts, though they don’t come together as seamlessly as they should.

While Tisca Chopra is meticulous in focusing on the little, ignored details in Smita’s life, the film’s switch from a dysfunctional marriage drama to murder mystery and the final resolution are underwhelming. The ending, too (hinting at a sequel), struggles to deliver the final punch it aims to. Saali Mohabbat has many intriguing moments, but it could’ve done with sharper writing.

Music and Other Departments?

The technical finesse is one of Saali Mohabbat’s core strengths. Simran Hora’s score and the songs (by varied composers) lend an appealing texture to the gritty storytelling. The cinematography, pausing and peeping into Smita’s trauma, is sharp and precise, well-aided by the apt production design and costumes.

Highlights?

Performances by Radhika Apte, Divyendu Sharma

Character detailing, setup

Technical finesse

Drawbacks?

Lacks surprise element

Abrupt ending

The film doesn’t come together as a whole

Did I Enjoy It?

In parts

Will You Recommend It?

Decent one-time watch, but lacks meat after a point

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 Saali Mohabbat Movie Review by M9