Mimi Review: An Emotionally-Rich Film!

Directed by Laxman Utekar, Mimi, a 2021 Hindi-language comedy-drama starring Kriti Sanon and Pankaj Tripathi in the primary roles, is a remake of the hit 2011 Marathi film – Mala Aai Vhhaychy! that explores the journey of a surrogate mother from Rajasthan.

Also Read: Best Hindi Comedy Movies on Netflix

The storyline of Mimi begins when an American couple, in pursuit of a healthy surrogate mother from India, comes across Mimi Rathore (Kriti Sanon), a dancer and a wannabe Bollywood actor, who is in the process of saving some money to settle in Mumbai and pursue her dreams. After realizing that Rathore would be a perfect surrogate, they ask their driver Bhanu to convince her for the procedure. And the remainder of the movie details how Rathore gets pregnant and handles the responsibility of being a good mom.

Let’s begin with the positives, and the story of Mimi felt like a completely safe bet that can impress and appeal to every age demographic. First and foremost, similar to Laxman Utekar’s previous film, Luka Chuppi, a decent comedy on live-in relationships, Mimi also deals with a unique yet taboo subject about surrogacy and packs in multiple entertaining themes, which made the narrative flow with ease.

From the emotional family drama to the traditional atmosphere of small-town Rajasthan and the enjoyable comedy, Mimi also tries to convey a good message about pregnancy, breaking the societal norms, and, most importantly, manages to keep me engaged from start to finish. Very often, while streaming, I tend to pause and return to the film after a break, but for the first time in a very long time, I did not interrupt this movie at any point, nor I had the urge to check my wall clock, and that had to be the biggest praise I could give to Mimi.

But, on the other hand, there are a few noticeable problems where certain scenes or plot points get wrapped up conveniently. Given that the film did a stellar job in keeping the story authentic, I anticipated the screenwriters to take a little more time and conclude a few aspects more clearly rather than rushing them. However, Mimi is a huge improvement when compared to Luka Chuppi, so I’m not complaining.

Furthermore, the likability determinant of the characters also very much enhanced the narrative’s overall quality all around. Kriti Sanon delivered her career-best performance as Mimi Rathore, and it is apparent that she gave everything she can to this character. Unlike her past roles in Bareilly Ki Barfi, Luka Chuppi, and Arjun Patiala, where she always stuck playing this happy-go-lucky girl, in Mimi, her character offered some variety all the way through.

From a pregnant mother meddled in a precarious situation and an aspiring actor trying to get through the initial stages of her career, Sanon managed to impress with her performance all the way through. Also, the stellar body transformation to fit into this mom’s role and her acting primarily during the pregnancy period were top-notch all around.

Pankaj Tripathi once again steals the show. Comparable to his female counterpart, Sanon, he more often than not plays this subtle wise or a comedy guy in most of his movies, and his character in this film, Bhanu Pratap, is a welcoming change. The supporting actors Saie Tamhankar, Manoj Pahwa, Supriya Pathak also had significant roles to play and added a lot to the dramatic side of the storyline, but, most importantly, each one of them had a character arc by the very end.

A. R. Rahman’s music complimented the narrative well inside and out. In my opinion, the best type of music always blends into the storyline very well without you (the audience member) noticing it, and Rahman did a fantastic job by making the story elevate with his mellifluous composition.

Overall, Mimi on Netflix is a heart-warming and an emotionally rich film that would’ve done extremely well in theaters as it maintains that family-heavy drama and good comedy that works well with the family audience. The unorthodox storyline, all-star performances, and incredible music also add to the overall quality as this is, without a doubt, one of the Best Bollywood Movies of 2021. Furthermore, I’m happy for Kriti Sanon as she is able to break out from her small-town girl stereotype and try something where she could display her acting range.

‘Mimi on Netflix’ Rating – 3.5/5

Images via Kriti Sanon & Maddock Films