Watch TrailerMast Mein Rehne Ka Review: Director Vijay Maurya’s latest offering to Amazon Prime, Mast Me Rehne Ka, reminded me of Ritesh Batra’s Our Souls At Night, with Robert Redford and Jane Fonda that premiered at 2017 Venice. It was an intense look at grief and loneliness of two people who had lost their partners. Maura’s work is also about these human emotions, and he tackles these in a very touching way.
The film may be somewhat shoddy as far as production values go, but more than make up for these by its dramatic telling of a story of two people who have been battered by life. He is alone having lost his wife 12 years ago, and not being social, is driven to wallow in his own company. “I talk to myself” he says at one point. She may be a little more outgoing, but finds its hard to make friends. Her son lives with his wife in Canada, and we see her returning home after a rather unpleasant trip. “I am reduced to being a maid to your wife” she tells him angrily.
The He is Kamath, played with admirable ease by Jackie Shroff. The She is Mrs Handa, a lovely performance by Neena Gupta, but of course. She has always been remarkable. As the film opens we see the two in the park working out. Their paths cross, but they are oblivious of each other’s presence. Till, Kamath notices her and begins to stalk her. But he does not use this word, instead he terms it “survey’. He even follows her to house.
Well, fate intervenes, and they meet. He is happy, very happy. “I have never been so happy after my wife’s passing” he tells her. “ I have never laughed so much” she avers. They revel in each other’s company, and goes to each other’s homes and make merry with bottles of booze. It is really mast for them. Wonderful camaraderie, filmed with wonderful feeling and a deep sense of belonging.
And then a dramatic event shakes them.
Maurya adds another dimension to the plot: A thief, Nanhe (Abishek Chauhan), and a streetwalker, Rawas (Monika Panwar), who meet, fall in love and get married. I fail to understand why this was included at all. If it was meant to present a contrast between young love and elderly love, this couple’s story falls flat. In fact, it sticks out like a sore thumb.
Be that as it may, Kamath’s and Mrs Handa’s relationship with its ups and downs, its sorrowful moments and hilarity get the work sparkling, despite a rather tame climax.
On Amazon Prime from today (December 8), and worth a watch.
