This not-so-intelligent movie about special forces is a failed attempt to establish Radhika Apte as an undercover agent in the male-dominated world of intelligence that is led by our very own Manoj Bajpayee (The Family Man) and Kay Kay Menon (Special Ops). Can we please highlight ‘male-dominated’ here? Because that is what the writers of Mrs Undercover were trying to do. Give women the much deserved space in the men’s world. Not all women though, but at some places, housewives and at other places, empowered women who are also trying to empower other women.
Mrs Undercover opens with Sumeet Vyas, The Common Man who is on a date with a lawyer who fights only for women. This is the reason she gets killed as The Common Man wants to wipe off women who empower other women. As simple as that. To get hold of this serial killer, the special force contacts their long lost spy, Durga to track and hunt down The Common Man.
This is the plot. What’s the problem with this plot?
Firstly, a special force will not be appointed to hunt down a murderer. They are involved in tasks related to national security. Secondly, why would the force call back an agent who they never contacted for any mission or operation after her training? Durga, or Mrs Undercover was a trained agent. Yes, you read that right. She WAS TRAINED ten years ago. The force could never use her as their office caught fire and the data was lost. The staff was changed and hence, this agent never got work. But yes, it was the special force who married her off so that her cover would be ‘just a housewife.’ Yet they never knew her whereabouts.
Thirdly, this movie about a serial killer and a spy was a comedy featuring Radhika Apte. Here’s another mistake: India, unfortunately, has seen very few actresses whose comedy timing was up to the mark. Sridevi and Juhi Chawla have set high standards here. Radhika Apte couldn’t pull it off. There were so many lost opportunities when it comes to timing. Comedy isn’t just about expressions and pitch of voice. Comedians make you laugh even with a straight face. It’s all about the timing.
Fourthly, the focus of the entire film is on Radhika Apte, neither on building the story or developing her character. The movie was brutally murdered here. It looks like the writer has absolutely no knowledge of how special forces work and hence even though the plot revolved around the spy, the story spoke only about a housewife and her duties. Easy way out, isn’t it?
And last but not the least, Baba Is Beautiful. Mrs Undercover couldn’t sell Sumeet Vyaas as a murderer. That innocent face looks like a victim, someone who, unintentionally, became a part of this stupidity and till the very end kept wondering what’s happening with his character.
P.S: If you really want to know what a common man can do, watch Neeraj Pandey’s A Wednesday. And if you want to know what a common woman can do, watch Sridevi’s Mom.
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The Digital Popcorn 