Shoojit Sircar is already famous for his highly discussed movies Yahaan (2005), Vicky Donor (2012), Madras Cafe (2013), Piku (2015), and October (2018). When he joins hands with Amitabh Bachan and Ayushman Khurana the expectations are high. The movie got a direct OTT release on Amazon Prime on 12th June 2020.
Mirza is married to Begum who is 15 year older than him. In the city of Lucknow he lives with her in an old torn and distorted piece of structure Fathima Mahal, which is a property in her name. This has been leased out to multiple tenants for rent as low as 30 rupees to 70 rupees. Baankey is one of the tenants who makes excuses and does not pay the rent. Mirza steals the articles from his tenants and sells them to get money. One day a government official Gyanesh from the archeological department sports it to be of period value and terms it as a mansion. Mirza wants the mansion in his name and that is what he has longed all his life, he is on a journey a final attempt to get it back.
The movie is all about performances. Amitab Bachan is at his best as Mirza, his mannerism with mild hunch due to old age and the widespread walking. Ayushman Khurana and Vijay Raaz also support the storytelling in the best manner as Baankey and Gyanesh respectively. The creators have not made any attempt to give a good shade to the characters, this is one thing I loved in the creation. Mirza’s words “I even have given up the intention of having a child” and “I have married Begum just for Haveli” shows how crooked and material oriented the character is. He is not going to set it right because that is what he is all about.
The characters will remain in your mind because creators have given due importance for character formation. Also the dialogues and especially the ones between Mirza and Bankey well make you smile. I loved the way Mirza tried to justify his action – “I am not greedy and the acts I take are not out of greed but for my love for mansion”. This a fresh product which you have not seen somewhere but I also caution this is not for everyone. The pace of the movie is very slow and it acts as a spoiler in the first half. I go with a rating of 3 out of 5 stars (One time watch (Average)) for the clash between Gulaboo and Sitaboo ya Mirza and Banyaan.
Rajeev is Reacting 