Shiladitya Moulik’s movie ‘Mrs. Scooter’ released in 2015, now available on Amazon Prime Video, tells the story of a scooter and a bride. Here is a review on the same:
The movie which marks the debut of Shiladitya Moulik was part of the official selection at New York Indian Film Festival. Set in Aligarh, this movie rotates around how a bride and scooter both get abandoned. Aashima and Bhushan who get married arrive at Bhushan’s place on the new, shiny scooter. The landlady is the only person concerned about orphan Bhushan’s personal life helps them to settle in. The married couple discovers bliss in each other and their new life. However, this does not last for a very long time.
Soon they are dealt with a cruel blow of fate when both Bhushan and the scooter disappear. The movie draws a parallel between the scooter and the bride as they both try to find a footing in their lives after this tragedy. When the scooter was sparkling and new, the bride was in a happy phase of her life. However, when the scooter goes missing, her life also loses its direction. As the scooter is being manhandled and its different parts are stolen, the bride finds herself in a dangerous situation where the men around her are trying to sexually exploit her. It is only when the scooter at the end of the movie goes through a makeover that all the pieces in her life seem to fit perfectly.
At certain points, Mrs. Scooter becomes really depressing as it shows how hard life is for a widowed young woman in a small city. She is prone to exploitation of all kinds in such a society, be it economical or sexual. Her helplessness in such situations leaves one agitated. However, the movie embeds hope even in such circumstances by ensuring that the protagonist never tries to settle with any kind of injustice meted out towards her. She tries to discover what she wants from life and ensures that no one dictates the way she is supposed to live her life. Anjali Patil as Aashima, Satyakam Anand as Manu, and Madhu Kandhari as the landlady give stellar performances. Their hold on their craft is so new, refreshing and unique that it leaves you with a smile. This movie reminds how important it is to give space to new directors like Shiladitya Moulik. It has been really long since such a romantic movie which is so innovative, unusual and original has been seen. Sandeep Salariya and P. Sai Bhardwaj as Directors of Photography, however, are the ones who are responsible for making this movie even more beautiful. The film which is available on Amazon Prime Video is a must watch if you are a lover of small, independent cinema. It brings to you a story that is sweet, eye-pleasing and unconventional.
Feature Image Credits: Pinterest
Anukriti Mishra