Movie Review: Performances save MOM

You have not come across such themes in Hindi movies, and that is the plus point for MOM. But, let me twist my words and say, you know what is going to happen the very next moment in the movie, and that is the negative point for MOM. Ravi Udyavar's directorial debut MOM is saved by the lead casts' performances.

Devaki, a junior college Biology teacher, a Mother to two daughters; elder being the step daughter, finds herself in misery when her elder daughter has been raped and all the court trials do not give her justice. She chooses her own path to give justice to her daughter, and what happens during her journey is the movie MOM.

The movie is about revenge, but the way Devaki takes revenge isn't that exciting. It is simply because the way revenge is taken makes the audience feel entertained. MOM doesn't belong to such treatment, and thus, fails. Such a theme of revenge requires dialogues that will earn whistles and claps, breathtaking action sequences, superb climax, and a gripping plot. MOM has nothing of that sort. But it has something one would like to go and watch it for at least once.

Sridevi shines as Devaki. the silence of a step-mother, the misery and the agony of a mother when she knows that her daughter has been raped and physically abused it portrayed nicely by Sridevi. Many a time, one can observe difficulty in Sridevi's dialogue delivery. One can also expect Vidya Balan for Sridevi who would make a fantastic KAHANI sequel with this movie. 

Sajal Ali as Arya (Sridevi's elder daughter) is brilliant. She has justified the horrors or being raped and feeling lonely superbly. But the repetition of her loneliness and frustration makes audience demand something different from her presence in the movie.

Watching Akshay Khanna after a long time in a stronger role is a treat. But he has a little presence in the movie and that makes one feel the immaturity of the director. 

Nawazuddin Siddiqui as a Private Detective DK once again steals the show. Give this man anything, and he will give it a Midas touch. He shines brighter than any other character in the movie in almost all the scenes given to him. His style of making joke through his extended dialogues is amazing. 

There is nothing to talk great about MOM. Even the best director couldn't have made it a nice movie out of an average plot. The cinematography is good. Music and songs are average, though they are composed by the Mozart of Madras A.R. Rehman, hardly you remember any song from the movie. Overall, MOM is a good movie, but a failed attempt at creating a suspense thriller. 

Ratings: **