Mimi movie review

 

Mimi is a comedy family drama film in Bollywood directed by Laxman Utekar. The story was written by Laxman Utekar and Rohan Shankar and produced by Dinesh Vijan under the Maddock and Jio Studio banner. The story is inspired by 2010 Marathi film ‘Mala Aai Vhhaychy!’ directed by Samruddhi Porey.

It starred with Kriti Sanon who played the role of protagonist and Pankaj Tripathi, Saie Tamhankar, Manoj Pahwa, Supriya Pathak, Evelyn Edwards and Aidan Whytock played the supporting roles.

Initially, the film’s team decided for theatrical releases in March 2021. But due to Covid-19 pandemic situation, they were planning to release in digital platforms like Netflix and Jio Cinema on 30 July 2021. Unfortunately, Mimi was dropped four days ago before its due date onNetflix and Jio Cinema and also spread in torrent site.

Akash Agarwal is the principal photography of the film. Most of the part of the film he took filming in Mandawa, Rajasthan and other parts completed in Jaipur and Mumbai. The music was composed by A. R. Rahman and lyrics written by Amitabh Bhattacharya.

Mimi’s story started with a 25 years old ‘beautiful, young and fit girl’ who wishes to be a Bollywood star superstardom. Mimi (Kriti Sanon) lives in a small town in Rajasthan, India. For her dreams of filming career becomes a reality, she works as a stage dancer in Bikaner and earns some money. But, it is very little for her cherishing dreams. Even she needs a lot of money bank balance to shoot a decent portfolio.

At that struggling period, Mimi gets an offer from an American couple who comes to India looking for a surrogate mother. They convince a local taxi driver Bhanu (Pankaj Tripathi) who works as a middleman for money and sets it all up. Promising to get 20 lakh rupees, Mimi agrees to become a Surrogate mother. After initial hesitation, she signed the agreement paper.

In order to hide the pregnancy news from her parents and neighbors, she tells them that she got a movie offer. For the film shoot, she has to go to Mumbai for 9 months. 

Due to her pregnancy time, she lives with her close friend’s Shama (Sai Tamhankar) house and taking cares by Shama and Bhanu. Because, John and Summer (the American couple) asked Bhanu for taking care of Mimi during the pregnancy time.

When Mimi is at an advanced stage of her pregnancy, a routine medical checkup reveals that this unborn baby suffered with Down Syndrome. After knowing this news, the American couple John (Aidan Whytock) and Summer (Evelyn Edwards) has broken down and refuse to take the baby. Before they going back to America, telling to Bhanu that Mimi can abort the baby.

This devastating news makes Mimi crazy and broken. But she rejects the idea of aborting the baby. She came back to home. Her family is totally shocked to visible pregnancy. After asking about child’s father she called it’s Bhanu. Then, within few days they accept Mimi as well as her new born child ‘Raj’.

However, the problem started again when Bhanu’s wife and mother come to Mimi’s house and know about his husband have another wife with a child. But, they confuse when see Raj, because he’s skin color is so bright as like foreigners. After some hesitation, Mimi confesses everything about Raj in front of her and Bhanu’s family. Then, two family accepts this innocent child as he is eye of the families.    

Raj born as a healthy normal child. Doctors revealed that previous test result was a false.

After, Raj’s birth Mimi is totally changed. She devotes herself to Raj and putting out her dreams in Bollywood. Raj is growing up Mimi’s home with her family. Shama and Bhanu also be a major part of Raj's life.

After four years later, suddenly John and Summer come back to India for taking Raj back. Mimi tells them, raj is now her child and they won’t take back raj form her. But John threatens Mimi of legal action and told her she has no right on raj because she signed a contract and paid for that. Then, Bhanu and Mimi’s family also get ready to fight on the court.

In those period, Mimi realize that she might gave birth Raj, but it also true that Raj is John and Summer child. She didn’t wish to be a mother. So, she decides to give back Raj.

On the day of Raj leaving, Bhanu and Mimi’s family go to meet with John and Summer. They are all surprised, when John and Summer tell them, they adopted a baby girl whose name is Tara. Coming back way to Mimi’s home they crossed an orphanage that time Summer felt love for Tara and adopted her.

Before leaving to America, Summer also tells Mimi that, she realized Mimi is Raj’s real mother. They leave Raj with Mimi.

After releasing in Digital media platform, this films got huge positive response from audiences. But got mixed review from the critics. Surrogacy itself is a complex theme. So, some critics commented negatively about the film’s plot.

In an interview with India Today, Dinesh Vijan producer of the film stated that. “Mimi was a tale based on true events unlike poignant stories. For him, the film explores a beautiful relationship between a woman who never wanted to be a mother and one who can't wait to be one.”

Another interview with Firstpost, Kriti Sanon discusses “I feel like a role like this is liberating as an actor. It helps you explore many more emotions than what you get to do in other films with less screen time. Mimi is a chirpy, quirky character whose life turns around later. There's so much graph to her character. That is liberating as an actor for me.”

As a family entertainment film Mimi really touches audiences heart. The performance of Kriti Sanon and Pankaj Tripathi is praised by all. They delivered wonderful entertaining performance. As a supporting part, Sai Tamhankar also did her best. Jacob Smith (Raj) innocent acting melt audience hurt too. Overall, Mimi is a perfect touch of fun and emotion.

Here is some Critic’s review about Mimi-

Renuka Vyahare of The Times of India gave 4 (out of 5) stars and said, "Mimi picks a relevant topic and turns it into an engaging, empowering and compassionate tale on humanity and motherhood".

Anupama Chopra of Film Companion wrote "Mimi is content to operate at a simplistic, superficial level. Laxman puts together a roster of terrific actors, but Mimi rests on Kriti’s shoulders. She also works hard – putting on weight, working with a Rajasthani accent. In the climax, she is able to summon a wellspring of emotion but largely, her efforts are undermined by the script and her own inability to let go of synthetic Bollywood glamour."

Jyoti Kanyal of India Today gave 2.5 (out of 5) and said "Mimi is a great attempt at bringing a social taboo like surrogacy to the centre stage. However, in trying to make it more entertaining and emotional, the makers lose a good opportunity. The film has some really funny scenes, and if melodrama is something you don't mind, you should definitely give Mimi one watch".

Anna M. M. Vetticad of Firstpost gave 1.5 (out of 5) saying "Writer-director Laxman Utekar’s new Hindi film is a muddled take on motherhood with clarity only on its conservative mission to condemn abortion. If it had been better written and directed, Mimi might have been considered dangerous anti-women propaganda. To describe it thus would be a compliment though to the director’s storytelling abilities".

“Even the usually redoubtable A.R. Rahman’s soundtrack is just mildly interesting. And some of the subtitles are mixed up. For one, why has “mere Ramji” in an early dialogue been translated to “my Romeo”?”