PremiumSanya Malhotra’s Mrs walks the same path as the terrific The Great Indian Kitchen – Here’s a list of things we hope it sticks to
Sanya Malhotra steps into Nimisha Sajayan's shoes for the Hindi adaptation of The Great Indian Kitchen titled Mrs
Last Updated: 12.44 PM, Nov 08, 2023
Amid the chaos of what would work and what wouldn’t post the first wave of the pandemic, the creators were busy decoding a plan and projects that would help them sail through a phase where the audience was hungry for content and open to experiments that were rewarding. Right in the center of this storm came a movie with a filmmaking grammar like no other in a long time and took the country by surprise. The Great Indian Kitchen was a game-changer and is now getting a Hindi adaptation with Mrs.
If you are unversed by even a minute chance, The Great Indian Kitchen, starring Nimisha Sajayan and Suraj Venjaramoodu in the lead, released in 2021 and turned out to be an eye-opener for various reasons. It was a movie about patriarchy, misogyny, and how a woman first succumbs and later fights against it when she smells the tea. It is indeed a story that needs to be retold until the entire country resonates with it.
Sanya Malhotra now brings the Hindi adaptation of the movie, and she plays the leading part, stepping into Nimisha Sajayan‘s shoes. While with Arati Kadav as the director, the film is in responsible hands, we hope that the movie sticks to the vibe of the original and does not mess with the things listed below.
Also Read: Mrs teaser out! 'Kya kar loge?' Sanya Malhotra embarks on a journey to shatter patriarchal norms
The power of The Great Indian Kitchen lies in its simplistic approach that is both subtle and relatable. It is not a movie that wants to shout on the top of its voice. It wants to enter your system silently and change something without making any noise. We hope Mrs retains that factor and, gives us a nuanced approach and does not trade it for the noise.
One thing that stood out in the teaser of Mrs was the background music, which is alarming and attention-grabbing. But what the movie shouldn’t fall into the trap of is songs with no consequences and just used for padding. It is a story that needs to be told with the required amount of silence and a zen vibe.
What made The Great Indian Kitchen an uncomfortable watch (in a good way) is the monotony that the wife (Nimisha) was cursed with. The movie didn’t even give her a name because she was so synonymous with the monotonous world around her, that no one cared what her name was. Mrs should stick to the exact nature because that is indeed the hook of this story.
The messaging in The Great Indian Kitchen was more in the actions than words. Not much was said in dialogue, but a lot was conveyed with the decision the wife took. In remakes, there are several times when filmmakers feel the need to put words to silence, which is precisely what Mrs should be avoiding.
The redemption should be both victorious and relatable, which the Malayalam film managed to achieve quite skilfully. When the base is shifted to a Hindi-speaking landscape, the arc shouldn’t change to a side that looks superficial or one that is restricted to the screen strictly.
Backed by Jio Studios, Mrs is premiering at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival on November 17, 2023. We have a lot of hopes for this Sanya Malhotra starrer, and only the release will tell if it stands true. Till then, stay tuned to OTTplay.-