A struggling street photographer in Mumbai, pressured to marry by his grandmother, convinces a shy stranger to pose as his fiancée. The pair develop a connection that transforms them in ways they could not expect.
Love stories aren’t like the movies. They’re messier, less happy, and generally more confusing. Love often plays itself out in the tiniest ways, which in our lives feel grandiose and big. We don’t see the song and dance numbers or direct flirtation, but instead cherish those brief flashes of intimacy: a handhold, a quiet moment. Fresh out of the Sundance Lab, director Ritesh Batra takes his indie-movie propensities and applies it to a small romantic story that discusses broader themes of class, religion, tradition, and the overall human experience by conveying that simple love: an honest romance.
Many people go into this one applying two prequalifying notions: it stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui, a notorious Bollywood star and it was shot in Mumbai. You might go into this expecting the flair of a Bollywood and I am here to tell you to drop those pretenses now. What you’ll find is almost the polar opposite in terms of style, but with just as much heart. This is the kind of indie movie big names do to breathe new life into a storied career of one-note acting. They’re proving grounds for former champions to show they’ve still got it and they’re make-or-break moments for freshman or sophomore directors. In this instance, it took me days to process but once I’d sat and thought about it I landed on this: the movie is a success in its own right.
Nawazuddin plays a poor Indian man working as a tourist photographer. By pure chance, he photographs Miloni, a young woman played by Sanya Malhotra. She, an upper-middle-class woman, languishes against the rigid path her parents have set for her: get a good job, marry a slightly wealthy man. When the two collide it’s cute, but the stakes rise when Nawaz’s character finds out his grandmother stopped taking her medicine to protest his bachelor status. He lies and sends her the photograph which prompts her to come and visit which prompts him to seek out Sanya’s character who, against all odds, goes with the idea. Soon the two find a genuine romance budding in the face of their unique class and personal struggles.
Nawaz stiffens up in this movie, it borders on singular but I think the moment he breaks from his stiff demeanor it speaks volumes. Similarly, Sanya’s performance stifles a bit as she cautiously inquires about the life of her new lower class friend. They chafe throughout the film, but as I’ve mentioned, it really speaks volumes when they finally let free. It’s the part that makes it honest. It’s the nuance of their communication. Sanya’s initial fear of a rat in a downtrodden movie theater speaks more to her fright at the entire lifestyle of lower class citizens. It’s not just the rat she’s freaking out about, it’s the whole theater. While these two do propel the movie by inches it’s the Grandmother character that enriches the story. Her dialogue waxes and wanes in proportion to their relationship, even as they continue lying to her. No one is at fault in this movie and the only vague antagonists are the people preventing these two from falling in love.
It’s not enough however for Ritesh to have stellar performances. He also dishes up gorgeous cinematography throughout the city of Mumbai. Cinematographers Tim Gillis and Ben Kutchins deliver on a broad stroke of cinematic grandeur and rich, textured color. Even while the frame looks filled with halogen city lights we get the feeling this is the real Mumbai, not the one of our dreams. Between the sharp focus pulls and simple setups the visual design of this movie doesn’t disappoint as it enriches the production design laid out in front of us.
In the end, this movie isn’t content with a simple ending. I meant what I said when I described this plot as “moving forward by inches.” It’s a genuine treat if you’re willing to accept it at its own pace. Ignore your desire for a simple conclusion and recognize this movie gave you a conclusion. It’s a complicated and messy one you have to parcel out for yourself but it’s as real as a true romance. We see these characters brush up against the confines of their class, their traditions, and carefully develop a sweet romance that, even if they only end up as friends, our lives are richer for watching. Ultimately, I’ll wax poetic about this movie because it lingered in my head in a way other movies haven’t. Congratulations Ritesh Batra and friends, this one’s a good movie!
In select theaters Friday, May 24th
