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Mom, I Turn To You

By Buraq Shabbir
Tue, 07, 17

Women are termed as the ‘weaker sex’, but they are the ones who turn out to be the strongest when a tragedy confronts them or their loved ones.

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Women are termed as the ‘weaker sex’, but they are the ones who turn out to be the strongest when a tragedy confronts them or their loved ones. And when it involves a mother taking care of her children then there is no one in the universe that can harm her kids. A mother protects her children from the evil eye and shields her offspring in any way possible. Recently, we witnessed stellar performances in a movie (from across the border) by two of our favourite actors who definitely made us proud.

Marking the Bollywood debut of our very own Adnan Siddiqui and Sajal Aly, ‘Mom’ is a must watch. Starring Sridevi in the titular role, the film is a rape and revenge drama that is sure to leave you with a lasting impression. Adnan Siddiqui plays Sridevi’s loving husband while Sajal Aly essays the role of her disturbed 18-year-old (step) daughter, Arya, and one must acknowledge their brilliant portrayals in the film.

Going by the story, the film focuses on the relationship between the three and the conflict that exists among them. Unable to accept Sridevi as her mother, Sajal refuses to call her step-mother ‘mom’ and is often rude to her, while Adnan, being an understanding husband and father, tries to bridge the gap between the two. Amidst such a situation, a horrible incident confronts the family, resulting in serious repercussions for all of them. One night Arya (Sajal) goes out to party with friends at a farmhouse and gets raped. What follows is the tale of loss and revenge and this is where the movie will take your breaths away.

The rape and revenge theme is not an unusual theme for Hindi cinema but the way it has been dealt with in the film is surely unique. Not just what happens with the culprits but also the way ‘rape’ is being looked at. Instead of brushing it aside and keeping mum about the entire incident due to the fear of society, the family stands by their daughter and make every possible effort to improve her condition.

Coming to performances, each and every character in the film is real. It feels as if one is experiencing their pain and misery throughout the story. Sridevi is the central character who appears in almost every frame while Sajal and Adnan are very convincing as a stepdaughter and father, respectively. Two characters that you cannot forget after watching ‘Mom’ are Akshaye Khanna and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who are every bit impressive.

Mothers are more expressive of their feelings and emotions than their male counterparts, so they have the capacity to deal with any and every circumstance and the movie surely personifies that. The progressive approach towards the subject and sensitivity with which it has been handled makes the movie worth applause.