- Film : English Vinglish
- Producer : Sunil Lulla, R. Balki, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, R. K. Damani
- Director : Gauri Shinde
- Star Cast : Sridevi, Mehdi Nebbou, Priya Anand, Adil Hussain...
- Music Director : Amit Trivedi
3.5
Tired of the commonplace and extremely predictable love stories (hero loves girl, some fights, girl loves back, trouble with family, some fights, family loves guy, happy ending) I decided to try a movie that is out of the box, with a good protagonist and this was my choice. A good choice. If you want to have some comedy that is not utter nonsense, and a little sentiment that you could relate with if you are a housewife of the typical 90s this movie is for you. The refined movie style made me laugh, feel sad and clap at the end. “May I?”
English Vinglish, led by Sri Devi alone, doesn't go beyond the reality. She doesn't lean erudite English and make eloquent speeches like Swami Vivekananda. However she managed to make the audience break into applause at the end of the movie with two simple words, which in the everyday usage would not be clap-worthy.
Other Ratings
3.5
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Deccan
2.5 Just about okay -
The Times of India
4 Shashi Godbole is... -
BharatStudent
3.25 An inspiring tale.. -
Rediff
4 English Vinglish is..
Story
Shashi (Sri Devi) is the typical Indian wife, with a south Indian touch, May I say, who runs a catering business with two kids, a daughter and a son who love her just as much as she does. English is her worst nightmare. Her daughter's too since it would be a great embarrassment to her at the PTA meetings since her mother fails to articulate the simplest of sentences in the foreign language. Her daughter along with the father mock her language skills behind her back.
The biggest challenge to appears before her at this point of the movie. Her neice's wedding. The wedding is set in US and Shashi has to help her sister plan for the wedding. In USA and that too for five weeks.
After a humiliating experience in a cafe, Shashi is more determined than ever to master the language and signs up for the tutorials but keeps her family including her sister in the dark bringing her more troubles. A judgmental family on one hand and a completely new trouble with another student having a big crush on her in the class, how would the story turn in the end despite all the help from her cutest niece (Priya Anand)
Will she be able to get the classes after her husband and children join her for the wedding? Is the crush going to crush her life? Does she succeed in learning the language?
Nothing is free these days; if you are further interested make haste for the box office.
Analysis :
Though Sri Devi is the finest actress in the industry, I could not help but worry initially about the movie going over-the-top. Indian learning English in a movie and the end that you picture in your mind would be a glib speaker. Gauri Shinde knows how you think and makes it different. A highly refined storyline and a poesy screenplay.
You are not smothered with sentimental dialogues, but on the contrary you see fewer dialogues in many scenes negating the need for a narration behind the screen. Without a dialogue, Gauri manages to make the people understand that Shashi is a loving and humble wife who is the perfect half to her husband finishing his unfinished half of works.
Instead of dialogue after sobbing dialogue, you see Shashi run behind her husband with a water bottle, close the fridge after him: you don’t need a voiceover or dialogue reinforcing her status here. But I must admit, I did feel that Sri Devi was a bit preachy at times though the dialogues were good.
A slower pace of the movie is not something that bothers me when the rest of the movie does justice to the speed. Only thing beyond the logic is why would a shy and humble wife set out to the world seeking English tutorials? Gauri should have made sure that the reasoning were stronger.
Gauri also tries to force emotional tears into the audience’s eyes at a few points. After being disowned by the family, she unnecessarily portrays the husband and children with a bad character. The should have been more loving.
Coming to the direction, Gauri Shinde made a movie much better than many in the industry who fail to take original movies. For a debut, her effort is fabulous. Amit Trivedi's music keeps the movie going. Songs like Navrai Majhi come right at the time they are required. Editor Hemanti Sarkar did what he does best. What adds vibrancy to the movie is Laxman Utekar’s cinematography. Every technical aspect of the movie accentuates the positives of the movie.
Performance :
Sri Devi is known to be an actress who could handle a film all by herself and she does her job in the movie. She portrays herself as a mother (I would not add great or good because there is no mother that is not). A good wife, and also a humble student. Such subtle shades could be put on only by an actress of her caliber. She truly is the hero of the movie. A few times she seems to be going over-the-top with her humility but very few.
Mehdi Nebbou as Laurent did a great job trying to grab the attention of Shashi. Whether he succeded in it or not, he definitely succeeded in wooing the audience. Priya Anand is lovely as Shashi’s niece covering up for her and being the ballast. Sulbha Deshpande, the mother-in-law and Sujata Kumar, her sister, do a fine job in their roles. Real life bro-sis Shivansh Kotia and T Navika Kotia play their roles well as the brother and sister. As a spoiled brat, Navika along with the father Adil Hussain make you curse them at times. Cory Hibbs is makes for a fine English teacher, David Fischer.
I would have loved if Amitabh Bachchan's cameo role had been restricted to be minimal. It turns a bit annoying when the director tries too hard to be cute. Other than that it was very articulate yet effortless.
Final Word: A good flick that takes you into the life of the new mothers of today who constantly have to face criticism from kids for not being able speak English whilst also showing the difficulties of the mothers. The right mix of lightheartedness and sentiment.
(AW- Anil)
