Motichoor Chaknachoor Review: This Is A Problematic Rom-Com That Often Passes Regressive Ideas As Humour!

• Reviews
• Updated:January 13, 2020 03:30 IST

• Authors: Zinia Bandyopadhyay (Editorial Team)
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Right from the start of Motichoor Chaknachoor, you know what is going to happen! This is a rom-com about a man-Pushpinder Tyagi and this girl who has shortened Anita into Annie and has the ‘ambition’ to marry an NRI and settle abroad! The mismatched couple gets married and find love in each other, discovering themselves in the process. The film has some good dialogues that do work well. However, for most of the film, especially the second half, regressive ideas are in such plenty that you would not be able to overlook it even if you had tried very hard!

This is a film that can boast of jokes on body shaming, blatant racism, deep rooted patriarchy and all this is very conveniently converted into jokes under the garb of humour! So a woman is called ugly because she is dark skinned and fat and Annie’s aunt casually tells her that even if Sri Lanka, Nepal or Bhutan doesn’t work out, she can try marrying people from African countries. I would not even go into how one might find deep-rooted patriarchy here, because that is what is abounds in, so much so that the scenes wouldn’t just finish! And what’s more, all this is turned to a joke, where people should laugh.

True, it does show how a section of the society functions. The portrayal of a Bhopal moholla is spot on, the setting, the people look so real, the characters are real. But the little redemption that the film had in some genuinely good moments lasted for a brief few moments in the first half. The second half is a utter drag, given you will easily guess what is finally going to happen. There is also a Tom and Jerry kind scene in the film, where the two leads continuously try to meet each other and fail! Like really guys? The second half is so problematic that for some reason the hero slaps the heroine, and when the heroine gets angry, ‘chhoti chhoti gal’ plays in the background! Really, not that small a thing, someone hitting someone! Sadly, the director is a woman! Well, that’s how hegemony works I guess.

The best part of the film would undoubtedly be the performances. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is a nuanced actor and he shows his range even in this film! But Athiya Shetty is the revelation here. What a performance by Shetty! She not just catches the accent quite seamlessly, but also plays the character with such spontaneity and conviction that I have been floored. Well, Athiya is indeed talented and we need more films that will allow her to display her talent!

This is a film that might feel like a fun watch for many, sadly for me, parts of it felt cringy. Go watch the film if you have nothing better to pass your time off with! Also, 1 point extra for the performances.