#Maska – Not utterly Delicious!!!

#Maska – Not utterly Delicious!!!

Neeraj Udhwani’s Maska on Netflix is another passable film. Starring Manisha Koirala, expectations were huge, though she is a great actor, the Parsi touch it seems to be overdone and comes as caricaturish on screen failing to give the film an authenticity.

Dream or delusion, Rumi Irani, played by Prit Kamani, in one of the family functions is adored by an aunt, he is told he is so handsome that he can try Bollywood. The aunt unsure that gone are the days where just good looks aren’t worthy enough to make it big apart from the pure talent. The praise that one may come across by any family member deludes the young Rumi, who doesn’t even know at this stage if He has the required talent or is that what he DREAMS.

Talent, director, fails to observe the thin line between the talent and desperation. Rumi for his audition appears naked for a stereotype given situation to act.  Of course, he fails the audition and so does the writers of this film.

Rumi’s character is out there to explore his delusion at the cost of the family legacy without his Mom’s acknowledgement. This already turns out to be a failure irrespective of the fate the dream or delusion delivers. At this point in time, where everyone is trying to pursue their dreams at their own cost, the young man Rumi comes across as more selfish than ambitious claiming the legendary property without Mom’s consent is something that comes across as too selfish. Poor writing.

Rumi who has hallucinations of his father and does “mann ki baat” but never honors; is already lacking the depth this relationship should hold. Rustom, his father played by Javed Jaffrey is easy to watch but doesn’t really add any value to the half-baked plot.  Rumi comes across Persis played by Shirley Setia who also has hallucinations of his deceased brother and this is where second cupid strikes. On the first one, it was Mallika with whom the nursery rhyme Johny Johny goes  Horny Horny, they get into live-in relationship to pursue their fav past time of giving auditions.

Rumi the character doesn’t fit convincing anywhere, be it in his auditions (where anyway he was not supposed to be), neither with any of the two girls he dates in the movie. He doesn’t look convincing as selfish, frustrated His immature act blunders the film a lot. Persis is a blogger and working on a Coffee Table book on Irani Cafes in Mumbai, where she claims to be a bit artistic and adds few short stories in the film elongating the film unnecessarily pushing it hard to make this one a slice of life.

The slice of life film fails the slice itself and just comes across as an ordinary film. At the time of lockdown, there was no rush to go anywhere, reach anywhere and I had to still fast forward the film to reach the known delusion.

PK Verdict: Tin**