Director: Pradeep Sarkar
Starring: Rani Mukerji, Tahir Raj Bhasin and Jisshu Sengupta
Few actresses in Bollywood are as beloved as Rani Mukerji. Ever since rise to stardom in the 1990’s, Mukerji has transformed into one of the finest actresses in the Indian film industry. Whether it’s star-crossed lovers, prostitutes or bold housekeepers, Mukerji has suggested she can portray various characters. Through her ability to portray characters that are compelling, she has created a legacy which has proven lasting. Mukerji’s greatest strength as an actress has always been her versatility. Mukerji’s strength as an actress is her courage to take risks. She is one of those actresses which has never been afraid of taking risks in her career by playing characters which aren’t commonly likeable. Despite reaching age of retirement, Mukerji has never lost her passion for making powerful entertainment. Throughout an enduring career, Mukerji has crafted many memorable movies which are definitely without a doubt absolutely worth watching.
I’m a huge fan of Mukerji and adore all the movies which she has made in her career. However, “Mardaani” definitely stands out as her most meaningful movie. Released in 2014, Pradeep Sarkar’s movie provided an engaging portrait of female police officers. Packed with breathtaking music numbers, engrossing storytelling and extraordinary acting, it’s a brilliant Bollywood thriller. At the centre of it all is a terrific performance from Rani Mukerji, who embodies a female cop seeking to resolve a mystery. Although “Mardaani” is a captivating Bollywood crime thriller, it isn’t a flawless film. It suffers from a melodramatic conclusion without a great resolution. Nevertheless, it offers engaging entertainment that will satisfy fans of Rani Mukerji.
“Mardaani” tells a story of a female cop that seeks to solve a perplexing murder mystery. Rani Mukerji portrays Shivani Shivaji, a bold female cop with a passion for solving crime in her downtrodden country. Shivani has an extraordinary talent for detecting crimes in advance before they happen ahead of time. However, Shivani’s life changes when she is given the task of investigating a perplexing human trafficking disaster. As she uncovers shocking secrets about human trafficking in India, Shivani questions her devotion to her profession she once loved which shaped her persona. Facing a serious problem, Shivani wonders whether she would ever be able to battle an unjust system.
Pradeep Sarkar is fascinated with stories of crime in India. A brilliant Bollywood director, Sarkar has often made fantastic films about criminals in danger. His iconic film “Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.” offered an engaging portrait of gangsters seeking to become doctors in a profession. With “Mardaani”, however, the filmmaker made his first feminist cop movie. It was the filmmaker’s attempt capturing the hardships faced by female cops in India but he succeeded immensely. Using captivating cinematography, Sarkar captures the life of a female cop seeking to solve a perplexing mystery. Emulating Jonathan Demme’s “The Silence of the Lambs”, Sarkar expertly uses montages to capture the hardships endured by female cops. For instance, the montages elevate the murder scene. During this tense scene, Shivani seeks to investigate murders occurring in her country. Using spellbinding montages, Sarkar crafts a portrait of female cops that’s engaging. Montages aren’t easy techniques to use in Bollywood movies. As Karan Johar’s “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” proved clearly, montages elevate Bollywood movies about college. Nevertheless, it works well in this movie. Using engrossing visuals, Sarkar captures tensions that female cops seeking to resolve crime are facing.
Another strong aspect of “Mardaani” which merits appreciation is the production. From a technical perspective, it’s one of the best Bollywood crime movies you will see. Sarkar effectively uses costumes to showcase the transformation of a female cop. Throughout the movie, Shivani’s costumes showcase her powerful personality as a cop. For instance, costumes elevate the murder investigations scene. During this engaging scene, Shivani investigates a gruesome murder requiring a certain degree of dedication. Through bold costumes, Sarkar creates a portrait of a cop that’s engaging. Moreover, the music score is magnificent. It gives the movie a powerful atmosphere coating the heavy burden that cops bear. Through phenomenal production, Sarkar captures cops seeking to conduct an investigation.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Mardaani” is a Bollywood crime film which is engaging. The movie is very well-written, and effectively uses silence to capture the hardships which feminist cops experience. Evoking the Coen Brothers’ “Fargo”, Sarkar effectively uses silence to capture female cops that experience sorrow. For instance, the silence elevates the human trafficking discovery scene. During this tense scene, Shivani is shocked to come across a grim case of human trafficking. Through use of silence, Sarkar creates a portrait of human trafficking audiences can relate to. Silence is a tricky technique to use in Bollywood. As Yash Chopra’s “Veer-Zaara” proved, silence elevates classic Bollywood romantic movies. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this film. Through a bold screenplay, Shivani conveys the lives of female cops which experience a price to pay.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Rani Mukerji delivers one of her best career performances as Shivani. Mukerji earned appreciation for playing romantic heroines in iconic Bollywood films. With “Mardaani”, however, she took on her most serious role. It isn’t easy to portray a female cop which seeks to investigate a mystery but she pulls it off successfully. This is the actress unlike you have ever seen her before: charismatic, tense and emotional in her most meaningful role. With riveting expressions, she captures the angst, bravery and resentments faced by a female cops which experience seeking to conduct murder investigations. It’s a bold performance from one of the most beloved actresses in India.
While the movie is mainly a bold showcase for Rani Mukerji, the supporting cast is also amazing and worthy of appreciation. Tahir Bhasin is terrific, capturing tragic barriers faced by an Indian bachelor that becomes suspect of murder that proves catastrophic. Jisshu Sengupta is spectacular, capturing charisma of a man that becomes victim of murder causing a dilemma. Lastly, Priyanka Sharma merits appreciation. As a woman that becomes the grin victim of a murder investigation, she is unforgettable.
Despite its strong performances, however, “Mardaani” can’t quite capture the painful realities faced by cops in India. If there’s a shortcoming to the movie, it lacks a strong ending. It’s an over the top conclusion that fails to bring the movie to a neat resolution. At worst, it perpetuates false messages on cops not true towards the reality. Therefore, “Mardaani” is one of those Bollywood crime movies which not everyone is guaranteed to adore.
Nevertheless, fans of Rani Mukerji will enjoy “Mardaani” and so will audiences seeking bold entertainment. A riveting Bollywood crime thriller, it honours a beloved Indian actress audiences treasure.
Nearly 12 years following the release of an iconic Bollywood movie about a female cop seeking to investigate a perplexing human trafficking mystery, it’s a riveting reminder of an Indian actress that has established an enduring legacy through her abilities to play compelling characters in memorable movies audiences love dearly.
4.5/5 stars
The Film Buff 