Meenakshi Sundareshwar
Director: Vivek Soni
Cast: Sanya Malhotra, Abhimanyu Dassani, Purnendu Bhattacharya, Sukhesh Arora, Ritika Shrotri
When Meenakshi (Sanya Malhotra) and Sundareshwar (Abhimanyu Dasani) meet in an arranged marriage setup, we already know they are poles apart. For instance, the former worships Thalaiva Rajinikanth while the latter doesn’t like watching films. But with the divine intervening, their match is ought to happen. So starts the love story of Meenakshi and Sundareshwar, a reference to the divine pair of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, and also the famous Meenakshi Sundareshwarar temple in Madurai.
However, even before they get the chance to move beyond the awkwardness and know each other, Sundar is compelled to move to Bangalore as he gets a job offer. We are told that he is not interested in his family saree business and coding is his passion. The distance between the newlyweds and how they try to sustain their marriage forms the crux of Vivek Soni’s romantic comedy.
While long-distance arranged marriages as a subject might not have been explored enough in Bollywood films, the concept of love and separation has been done to death. Likewise, Hindi films do not often tick all boxes of cultural representation but when it does, it breaks stereotypes by enforcing more stereotypes. Meenakshi Sundareshwar is a hit and miss attempt in both these cases.
The protagonists here belong to the Tamil Brahmin community but it is evident from the very beginning that the writers have shown their version of the community rather than basing it on the actual mannerisms. (Almost similar to what 2 States did). Their speech lacks authenticity and it seems that Meenakshi and Sundareshwar are Hindi speaking people who have recently learnt a couple of Tamil phrases and are desperate to flaunt that knowledge.
The stereotypical broken English didn’t help their cause. And if a non-Tamilian can point that out, one can only wonder what a native speaker might feel about the representation in the film.
With a couple of engineering jokes spread here and there, that we have been hearing since time immemorial, the plot moves forward and takes us to Bangalore with Sundar where we meet his tyrant boss Senthil (Sukhesh Arora). A less iconic and more absurd version of 3 Idiot’s Virus, our boss man prefers bachelor employers in his company as he wants their undivided attention. Hence, Sundar has to keep his marriage under wraps although he revealed that in front of the entire team right when he entered the office.
Whereas, back at home, Meenakshi figures out ways to keep the spark alive while navigating through her married life with nosey but adorable in-laws. Meanwhile, her old crush enters the scene, whose only purpose seemed to create a conflict that seemed a tad bit forceful and out of the place.
Meenakshi and Sundareshwar’s chemistry is also a hit and miss and when their marriage is almost falling apart, it is hard to understand whether we actually root for them to be together or we just don’t care. However, Sanya and Abhimanyu shine individually and are a treat to watch. The actress who tries to offer something new with every film does not overplay her emotions, be it a scene of happiness or grief. She subtly portrays the nuances of a woman who is going through a lot at once. Even the scene where she mimics the megastar Rajinikanth is a delight to watch.
Abhimanyu’s character’s nervousness and honesty make up a couple of funny scenes in the film and his innocence makes one root for him. Even if we are not sure about them as a couple, we only want the best for Sundar whose role Abhimanyu played with utmost sincerity.
Having said that, the film has its own moments and quirks like Sundar’s family taking the maths tutor with them while visiting Meenakshi’s family or Sundar crushing Menaakshi’s palm while trying to kiss her for the first time.
The amusement might not make up for the sloppy writing but it definitely makes Meenakshi Sundareshwar a fun weekend watch.
Produced by Dharmatic Entertainment, the film is currently streaming on Netflix.
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