Mr. and Mrs. Iyer is not a typical Bollywood movie. In fact one rarely finds such good cinema coming out of it. We watched this movie accidentally, when our original choice was not available and I am glad that we did. I have seen it countless other times on Star movies re-run in India. Aparna Sen directed this movie and has cast her daughter Konkana Sen Sharma in the lead role and for once it was the right decision. Bollywood is full of sons and daughters of many influential people and though they have right connections, same cannot be said about their acting abilities. But it is not so with Konkona Sen Shrama.

As the movie begins, we find Meenaksi Iyer (Konkana Sen Sharma) planning to travel with her infant son from Darjeeling to Calcutta. Her parents are really worried and fussing over her, and really anxious to see their daughter reach to her husband’s place safely. One can immediately feel that Meenakshi Iyer has lead an over protective life.

On the bus stop her parents ask an acquaintance, Raja (Rahul Bose) to help her on the journey, particularly since she has a small child with her. Once Mrs. Iyer boards the bus she finds that she has forgotten to bring a water bottle and has to borrow one from Raja. She sees Raja drinking some water off it by putting it to his mouth. Now I guess that is normal? But it is not so in conservative Indian families. If Meenakshi would have to drink it she it pour holding the bottle a little away from her lips, so the bottle is not jhuta (spoiled) and that too when she is a M.Sc. in Physics.

The scene in bus is also quite typical of many Indian journeys, where cackling teenagers will sing till they drop, where one can find a sour elderly aunty frowning on anything and everything, a couple busy with themselves, an elderly charming couple and many such others to be found probably only on Indian buses? So it is a jolt for everyone when this typical short journey suddenly turns bad.

When the bus driver and his assistance find the main road blocked, they decide to take a short cut which leads to their running into rioting Hindu mob. Here, for the first time Mrs. Iyer finds out that Raja is a Muslim and there is a threat to his life. Her first and fleeting thought is that she took water from the same bottle! But her sane, sensible, humane self prevails and next she asks him to become the absent Mr. Iyer.

From here on the ordinary journey becomes a special one, as one hand Mr. and Mrs. Are thrown in close company with each-other and Mrs. Iyer discover a whole new world altogether. They make an interesting contrast; Raja is a wild life photographer, suave, cosmopolitan and has gone places. Mrs. Meenaksh Iyer belongs to a conservative Tamil Brahmin family and consciously or unconsciously believes a lot of its dogma. But when she is in a company of a man who is very different from the world she belongs to, she quickly shows on that her own; she is willing to stretch her wings, even if it lasts for but a small moment.

The best part of the movie is the attraction that Mrs. Iyer feels for Raja in the unusual circumstances and the contrast it holds for with her day to day life. It ends on a bitter-sweet note, which I guess is a perfect ending for this movie.

All this happens against the backdrop of the riots going on. This is a portrayal of the Hindu community rioting, which has actually happened in recent times in India. I have seen and heard wide ranging discussions on the issue. In fact at one point of time, I used to take part in them. Now all I have to say is, whoever riots for whatever reason, it has only one outcome and without doubt it is just plain ugly, beyond words. Mr. and Mrs. Iyer demonstrates this on the screen for everyone to see. For me, there is no argument beyond it.

The movie has just two main characters and both Rahul Bose and Konkana Sen Sharma have played their parts to perfection. In fact, Rahul Bose is comfortable playing a cosmopolitan character and in most his movies he has done just that. But I still do not get bored watching him playing it again and again. I wonder if he can play other roles, but for me as long as he is the cute, believable guy with brains, it is just fantastic. I saw Konkana Sen Sharma for the first time in this movie and became a fan. She won the Indian national award for best actress for her role as Mrs. Iyer. She looks and talks like a real Tamil Brahmin though she is actually a Bengali. The chemistry between them is incredible, even after a child in tow.

The cinematography of the movie is also great. The camera captures the beauty of the nature really well. The story weaves the romantic angle and the ugliness surrounding it with amazing dexterity and to me the pace of the movie too was fine, though some may find it slow. Overall, if you just watch five movies from India, make sure Mr. and Mrs. Iyer is one of them.

Recommended:
Yes

Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older