Movie Name: Shakuntala Devi
Cast: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra, Jisshu Sengupta
Director: Anu Menon
“Based on a true story as seen through the eyes of a daughter,” reads the screen, moments before the first scene of Shakuntala Devi plays out. Enter Sanya Malhotra as Anupama Banerji, daughter of the late female math wizard. Wearing a pristine white shirt and hair tied in a bun, Malhotra, as Banerji, bottles up her emotions tighter than she clutches that black folder in her hand. We are in London. The year is 2001. Moments later, we see Anupama getting ready to file a criminal case against her mother – The Great Shakuntala Devi, played brilliantly by Vidya Balan in this biopic directed by Anu Menon.
For most of us, our mothers are those angels who brought us into this world and then devoted their lives to the care of their children. “Ma,” is perhaps the smallest word to ever exist but has the deepest meaning. And after nearly 2 hours of watching the film, you will begin to see this word a little differently, understand it a little better.
The story of Shakuntala Devi is hard to define in a single line or even a paragraph. There were different shades to her life. From being a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, and of course, the world-famous mathematician. The film touches upon every shade of the vivacious Shakuntala Devi and presents an entertaining ride that turns emotional towards the end (Keep those tissues ready).
The events unfold in a non-linear narrative and move at a comfortable pace. The sudden switch between the timelines can often get confusing for the viewer, but that isn’t the case here. We are taken from 1934’s Bangalore to 1955’s London in the blink of an eye. At one moment, you are in the past and in another, you are brought to the present.
As the protagonist makes headlines all around the world and travels, we do the same with her. The first half of the film is focused on her life as a gifted mathematician and a fierce individual who lived life on her own terms.
Be it calculating the cube root of an eight-digit number at the age of five or shooting her boyfriend (literally) when he refuses to marry her because she is “too independent,” we, as viewers, find ourselves becoming a part of Shakuntala Devi’s world with every new scene. In a room full of men, she is the star. And the brightest one.
15 minutes into the film, she leaves her home and moves to London to create a new life for herself after a tragic incident. Even in London, the “girl in choti doing Maths” is stereotyped as the “lady mathematician from the land of snake charmers and elephants.” But our math wizard isn’t somebody who will give up. With a little help from Javier (Luca Calvani), she hones her communication skills and gains money and fame. In her journey, Shakuntala Devi is often seen battling for equality between men and women. Though it can feel a tad forced at times.
While the first half of the film tells us about Shakuntala Devi’s professional life, in the second half, her personal life is in focus. And this is where things begin getting emotional. While a major chunk is dedicated to her relationship with her daughter, we also get a glimpse of Shakuntala’s relationship with her parents and husband, making us laugh at some times and a bit teary-eyed at other. Especially in the climax. The film also has some hilarious scenes. And there was room for a few more.
WATCH SHAKUNTALA DEVI TRAILER HERE:
Coming to the performances, Vidya Balan excels in her role as the genius Shakuntala Devi. Be it anger, love, regret, or grief, she portrays each emotion with sheer honesty. She is extremely fun while partying and fills you with amazement when she is acing those Math problems. And how can we forget that British accent that she does in a few scenes? Also, kudos to Vidya for portraying Shakuntala through her 20s to a grandmother with such finesse.
Sanya Malhotra is the surprise package in the film. The 28-year-old plays a 16-year-old schoolgirl in a few scenes and fits to the T. She gets the viewers to connect with her and plays the perfect on-screen daughter to Vidya. Her character too, ages through the course of the film. And she aces it.
Jisshu Sengupta is endearing as the supportive husband who is happy to see his wife conquer the world as he raises their daughter at home. Right from the scene where he introduces himself as IAS Paritosh Banerji to the scene where he tells his daughter that he can’t fight with her mother, he holds the frame whenever he is on screen. However, we would have loved to see more of him in the film.
Amit Sadh is the perfect Ajay Abhay Kumar to Sanya’s Anupama. He makes us smile with his on-screen charm and truthful eyes. His chemistry with Sanya is worth mentioning too. The two are simply adorable in the scene where they have an argument but quickly apologise to each other.
The supporting actors have done a fine job as well.
The powerful performances are further enhanced by the fitting background score. The cinematography also deserves a special mention. And so does the edit. At no point does the film feel dragged. The make-up artists and costume designers have also done a splendid job. Kudos to them for making the 28-year-old Sanya Malhotra and 41-year-old Vidya Balan look the age that the script demands.
There are some really powerful dialogues in the film and some will stay with you even after you turn your television set, or laptop, off.
Shakuntala Devi, thus, is the perfect treat for you this weekend. Catch the film within the comfort of your home on Amazon Prime Video and if you have the opportunity to watch it with your mother, don’t miss it. Be prepared for a super-emotional climax, though. But then, as Vidya aka Shakuntala Devi says in the film, “We Indians are like that only. Drama or nothing.” Right?
We are giving the film 3.5 out of 5 stars.
ALSO READ | Jisshu Sengupta on nepotism: Of course I will launch my daughter, but she has to work hard too
ALSO READ | Sanya Malhotra on Shakuntala Devi co-star Vidya Balan: She used to prank everyone on sets
ALSO WATCH | Vidya Balan Interview: Shakuntala Devi was not boring. Why should her biopic be?