Tu Hai Mera Sunday - Reviews & BO Thread. - Page 11

At the onset, Milind Dhaimade's Tu Hai Mera Sunday appears to be a film about Mumbai and its perennial problem of space. But when you look deeper, the film not only highlights the menace of the growing urban spaces but also our strange ability to accommodate in whatever little we have without really fighting against it.

The film was made more than a year ago and did the rounds of various festivals across the world earning accolades for its heart warming and poignant story. Its commercial release in India, perhaps, could not have been better timed as just a few weeks earlier the unfortunate Elphinstone Stampede once again highlighted the bizarre ways Mumbai city functions.

A story of five friends- Arjun (Barun Sobti), Dominic (Vishal Malhotra), Rashid (Avinash Tiwari), Mehernosh (Vikas Bhalla), and Jayesh (Jay Upadhyay)- who play football every Sunday at the Juhu Beach, in an attempt to escape the drudgeries of their mundane life and profession, the film captures the sentiments of the urban dwellers or as they put it themselves- the story of every Indian common man' quite accurately. Sunday, a day synonymous for all things lazy, relaxed and easy, becomes the most awaited day for this motley group as they escape office woes, loud joint families, suffocating living spaces and nagging sisters.

One such Sunday, they bump into a lost, lonely old man, who speaks south Indian language' and the do-gooder Arjun decides to take him back home only after a game of football which the old man also seems to enjoy playing. An accident eventually leads to a ban of all sports activities at the Juhu Beach leaving the group high and dry in search of a playground. And as their weekly ritual comes to a halt, each of them find themselves coming face to face with problems that they have so far been trying to escape from.

The film takes a simplistic and sometimes humorous take on everyday life problems. The song Thodi Si Jagah' captures the film's theme brilliantly as the group is seen looking for a place across the choking Mumbai city for a little space to play their beloved game. Cinematographer Harendra Singh captures Mumbai claustrophobic life beautifully. One shot has the boys waiting at a dilapidated bus stop only to be scurried out seconds later by the street urchins who have made the bus stop their home. Then there is the scene where two young girls play a game of badminton across a narrow street with passing cars acting as the net.

There are also five separate tracks of these individuals with main focus on Arjun's story. Arjun, a not so ambitious guy is an achha aadmi' by his own admission. He befriends Kavya (Shahana Goswami), the old man's daughter and willingly baby sits him every Sunday just to get a chance to meet her at the end of the day for a cup of tea and some heart to heart conversation. Sobti and Goswami's scenes together are crackling with chemistry and you can sense the urge the two characters have to confess their feelings yet how awkward they are while talking about matters of the heart. Enacted beautifully, the two actors are in top form making their camaraderie look genuine and endearing.

The other track involving Rashid and his friendly neighbour played by the talented Rasika Dugal is also very endearing. Dugal plays a mother of two, whose husband has walked out of the marriage and who partly believes it's her fault that she gave birth to two deaf children. But the character is so positive that you can't help but smile along as she and Rashid strike up an uncanny friendship. Some of the most genuinely heart warming scenes feature these two actors.

The film scores high on performances with pitch perfect casting. Each of the actors is brilliant in their own part. Be it TV heartthrob Barun Sobti who makes the nice guy look sexy or Vishal Malhotra who plays the typical mumma's boy . Or Rama Joshi who plays Malhotra's mother who just can't let go of her boys. The men are ably supported by the leading ladies who interestingly play strong willed women who know their mind to their confused, escapist counterparts.

There are so many moments in the film that bring a smile to your face. Be it Mehernosh chasing his evil boss across the office in a fit of rage to Rashid learning how to apologise in sign language to Arjun and Kavya's subtle flirting and awkward first date. But the film isn't just a light, slice of life film. It also has a deeper message that not only works for a city like Mumbai but also for all urban spaces across the country. Near the climax Mehernosh asks why are we such escapists and why don't we fight back? That Indians have the habit to adjust and accommodate to hardships is a known fact. But the film raises a pertinent point. Do we need to? Why shouldn't we fight back or face the challenges that life throws upon us. Why has our generation become escapists? Why haven't we learnt to deal with crisis? The scene is laced with subtle humour and the actors perform beautifully.

You would be missing out on good cinema if you don't watch Tu Hai Mera Sunday. It's film that you will relate to even if you are not living in Mumbai. It's a film that tugs at your heartstrings in more ways than one. And it should be on your watch list this week. Sunday or any other day.

Shomini Sen