Ajay Devgan has maintained on screen chemistry with filmmaker Harry Baweja for the last decade. The duo has given films like ’Diljale’, ’Dilwale’, ’Deewane’ and ’Qayamat’, and ’Main Aisi Hi Hoon’ is the latest offering.
Last week Ajay Devgan delivered remarkable performance in jungle tale ’Kaal’ and now he fulfills his promise in ’MAHH’. The film will be better known for its brilliant performances rather than for its narrative skills. Sushmita Sen is certainly the show stellar with her performance of intelligent and manipulative lawyer.
The film is highly inspired from Hollywood hit ’I am Sam’, a heart piercing family drama. ’MAHH’ comes out with the tagline ’’A normal man in an abnormal world’’ whereas ’I am Sam’ punch line is ’’love is all you need’’. Generally, Bollywood films are inspired from Hollywood’s soft porn murder mysteries or action thrillers, but this time a sensible and sensitive Hollywood flick has been rehashed.
Ajay Devgan’s character is inspired from the Sean Penn character (Sam) and Sushmita Sen’s character resembles Michelle Pieffer’s (Rita Harrison) from the film ’I am Sam’.
Mentally challenged characters have been source of inspirations for Bollywood filmmakers for many years. Hrithik Roshan and Anil Kapoor have excelled in such performances in ’Koi Mil Gaya’ and ’Eeshwar’. Sridevi struck gold with her award winning performance in ’Sadma’. Now , it’s Ajay Devgan in ’MAHH’. Harry Baweja’s films are generally action oriented. But this time he shifts gears and lands in conventional family drama.
Screenplay writer Bhavani Iyer surprised everybody with her writing skills in Bhansali’s ’Black’, but disappoints completely in ’MAHH’. The similarity between the two is the backdrop of Shimla and the love hate relationship between child and parents. Harry Baweja’s story and Iyer’s screenplay have many cracks and dents that nullify the actor’s genius.
Parent child relationships have been the center of attraction among family audiences with films like ’Masoom’ and ’Kunwara Baap’. ’MAHH’ falls into such a cadre where the intensity of the relationship has been explored and glorified.
The film shows relationship between a mentally challenged father and his daughter and the negligence of over-ambitious mother with her son. The film glorifies child- like innocence of an autistic man that works wonder on the heart and mind of a highly professionally motivated lawyer. Despite the fact that the theme of the film is thought- provoking, it lacks the fire and niche to be a perfect family entertainer.
The story of the film revolves around Indraneel Thakur alias Neel (Ajay Devgan), mentally challenged man, and his daughter Gun Gun (Baby Rucha Vaidya). Neel has child-like innocence that makes him special among the local fellow beings. On one stormy night, Neel encounters Maya (Esha Deol), rich and spoilt girl from an affluent family. Maya hails from a rich industrialist family but is neglected and isolated.
To counter her frustration she becomes a drug addict. Neel’s child- like innocence attracts her, and her life rejuvenates. Neel is sheltered by Ritu didi (Lillete Dubey) and works under Devesh (Anjan Srivastav), coffee bar owner. Love blossoms between Neel and Maya, and she conceives baby girl Gun Gun. Maya abandons her newly born daughter and Neel. In due course of time, Gun Gun matures into a lovable schoolgirl. Life takes a turn on her seventh birthday when her grand father Dayanath Trivedi (Anupam Kher) enters their lives. Trivedi seeks Gun Gun’s custody in the court, and Neel is challenged for his handicap.
Disheartened and disappointed Neel requests most trusted lawyer Niti Khanna (Sushmita Sen) to plead her case. Niti finds no interest in Neel’s case, but one day she realizes her mistake and decides to argue for him. Niti finds it hard to plead Neel’s case as a competent father in the court but finally wins with her intelligence and professional skills.
The subject and concept of the film may have the novelty but lacks substance. Esha Deol’s character has been semi-baked. There are many loopholes in the script. The chemistry between Ajay and Esha has not been developed properly. For example, when Maya (Esha Deol) abandons her baby girl and disappears from the scene, it looks absurd.
The courtroom drama has not been properly conceived with some low paced dialogues from Anurag Kashyap. The story falters when a respectable and intelligent business tycoon blames the mentally challenged man for her daughter’s demise though he knows the truth.
Himesh Reshammiya’s music is encouraging and heartwarming. Songs like ’’Just walk in to my life’’ and ’’chanda ne puchha taro se’’ are heart warming. The landscaped locations of Shimla are captivating through some fine cinematography by Ayanaka Bose. Sushmita Sen’s costumes are well designed by noted designer Mickey Contractor and resembles to that of Michelle Pieffer in ’I am Sam’. Harry Baweja has a lean period as a producer with his last film ’Karam’ bombing at the box office. ’MAHH’ too won’t find many takers among general audiences.
The film starts on a promising but the second half is lethargic and time consuming. The courtroom dramas have been overstretched. The promising factors being the performances from the actor’s fraternity. New find Baby Rucha Vaidya is brilliant with her mind-blowing performance. Ajay Devgan has been a competent actor for years and he maintains his positive work.
Esha Deol has improved her looks and performance, but is completely neglected in the film. Sushmita Sen is undoubtedly the winner with her brilliant dramatic presentation. Harry Baweja disappoints as director after delivering super hit ’Qayamat’. Coincidentally, ’Qayamat’ was also an inspirational lift from Hollywood’s blockbuster ’The Rock’.
’MAHH’ can be applauded for kind and benevolent theme that was not properly conceived. Harry Baweja deserves all the accolades for attempting to be different when every second film is riding on the sex wave.
It may be understood that if the story and the screenplay have dents then it becomes difficult for the film to fare well at the box office. The film lacks the narrative niche -- the most important ingredient of a perfect family entertainer. The film can be termed as a ’’decent Hollywood copycat’’ that will find few takers.