BOTTOM LINE
A Messy Yet Watchable Breakup Story
PLATFORM
SonyLIV
RUNTIME
2Hrs
What Is the Film About?
A couple in Pune loses their way in an intense but toxic romance that collapses under the weight of ego and ambition. Seven years after their breakup, they unexpectedly reunite in Japan. Against the backdrop of Mount Fuji, they must confront their painful past and the possible road ahead.
Performances
The film predominantly revolves around the couple, and both the leads, Lalit Prabhakar and Mrinmayee Godbole, hold the fort with assurance. Lalit plays the more complex role with a better character graph; he’s efficient because you ultimately understand the man’s trauma and also despise him for his abusive behaviour towards his partner.
Mrinmayee Godbole, as the woman bearing the brunt of mounting debts and an insensitive love interest, delivers an intense yet delicate portrayal that lingers long after the film ends. Omprakash Shinde is not left with much to do. The child artiste Kabir Jueelee Deven makes a mark with his happy-go-lucky presence.
Analysis
Toh Ti Ani Fuji is a straightforward story of an estranged couple looking back at their toxic past in a non-linear narrative. It is an intimate romance drama exploring the anatomy of a breakup, seven years after a couple falls apart. While they stayed together in Pune before, their paths crossed in Japan now. The man, once aimless, has his career sorted, while the woman now has a son.
The film’s non-linear screenplay is a cause of ambiguity initially, as the timelines shift conveniently, and you don’t make much sense of their relationship. Once the narrative makes its intentions clear about dwelling on the past, the film gathers momentum. The flashback episodes dig deep into the mundane moments of their romance, where you just don’t sense any love between the two.
The contrast between the protagonists’ content current-day existence (minus the baggage of a relationship) and their earlier years, where they fall in and out of love almost impulsively, is quite striking and well-established. What you understand is that they’re two messy, vulnerable people, bonding over each other’s traumas and, surprisingly, can’t empathise with one another.
The girl has just lost her mother, though the loans for her medical treatment are yet to be repaid. She is frustrated with the meagre translation assignments that aren’t taking her anywhere. The man is a self-obsessed, spoiled brat who hasn’t experienced any compassion in his life, thanks to his prudish parents, and can’t see the world beyond himself. Their decision to move in together is a clear-cut recipe for disaster.
While the director Mohit Talalkar does an appreciable job in stepping into the shoes of two confused, traumatised characters, it’s evident why the story stands by the girl’s side of the story more, and fairly so. When she asks him about what exactly he is giving her in the relationship, the problem with the man is clearly spelt out: there’s no love, emotional security, mutual respect or even a basic human concern. It’s just indifference.
The man loses his temper over something as trivial as how the onions are sliced for a dish. He doesn’t even acknowledge the efforts she puts in to run the household, consistently complains about his non-happening dream to start a fitness studio, and whines about his father. He inevitably treats his partner the same way as his father treated him. Even during the reunion, you just don’t understand why she should even entertain the idea of a patch-up or a conversation.
Through the present-day setting, the director makes a concerted effort to make the man appear likeable, portraying him as a somewhat evolved individual who is a hit with children. It’s impressive how the makers settle for an open-ended narrative. Will that man take the flight or won’t he? When you think of the woman, the answer, even through her silences, looks clear. Why would she want to go through it all over again?
The film’s Japan portions, particularly, are visualised with care. There’s a concerted effort to browse past Tokyo’s busy streets, the lonely nights, the colourful lights, the warmth, and its cultural symbols, ultimately connecting the characters’ psychological evolution to Fuji. As the man, woman and the child look at Fuji’s reflection in the water in the final shot, you know that the storm has settled down. There’s nothing left to say or explain.
Music and Other Departments?
Saurabh Bhalerao’s background score is easy on the ears because it allows the narrative to progress neatly, minus any major bumps. The music doesn’t impose itself upon the film and just does its part, not seeking attention.
John Donica’s cinematography (who shot the Japan portions) has the eye of an insider, lending authenticity to the backdrop. The editing, by Mohit Takalkar, who also directed and wrote the story, is slightly haywire to begin with, but as you get used to the film’s rhythm, the narrative structure doesn’t feel like a distraction.
Highlights?
Impressive performances
The complex characterisation
The cinematography of the Japan portions
Drawbacks?
Few convenient creative choices
Overstates the obvious at times
Ambiguous, sometimes vague narrative style
Did I Enjoy It?
It is a decent watch, even if it doesn’t bowl you over
Will You Recommend It?
If you have a taste for slow yet intense relationship dramas
Toh Ti Ani Fuji Reviewed by M9 News
