The problem with Bollywood continues as they won’t stop adding sensationalism and bits of masala factors even if a film is a biographical drama that portrays the story of a real character inspired by their true life. The same continues with Vidya Balan starrer Shakuntala Devi as director Anu Menon follows the footsteps of mainstream cinema to tell the story of renowned Indian Math legend Shakuntala Devi, the story we definitely deserve to know but not in a cheesy way.
Though the film starts with a disclaimer that it is not a biographical drama, can we forget everything just for this creative liberty? The film majorly wants to talk about Shakuntala’s relationship with her family especially with her daughter Anupama. Coming to the performances, Vidya Balan steals the whole show, yeah we know the film revolves around her but there’s just little to do for the supporting characters but they do a fine job too.
A strong point of the film is that it completely follows the story of a strong independent woman and we see the story through her eyes, which has been scarce in many Bollywood films. And life’s larger than anything for her character as the film succeeds to show this very well. A story arc where she makes a life of her own in England where no one is known to her. It’s a journey of self-exploring along with maintaining the values and relationships.
Balan’s character sees a change in herself as she balances her love for Maths and her personal relationships which actually becomes a point of conflict in the story and she has to confront the reality with a better understanding. The film stands out when it comes to change in emotions and characters but in many parts of the story, you feel that the story is too sensationalized for unnecessary reasons.
The film is good for a one-time watch, especially for Vidya Balan’s heroic performance!
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