Mitron review: Delightful comedy that exceeds expectations

Director Nitin Kakkar's second film Mitron, contrary to its title, is not a political satire about the current state of our nation. The romantic comedy, starring Jackky Bhagnani and Kritika Kamra, is a fine film about two individuals, Jai and Avni, who come into their own once they meet each other.

Mitron takes us through their journey from acquaintances to business partners to friends and maybe something more in an entertaining manner. There is never a dull moment in the nearly two-hour film.

Mitron has been adapted from the National award-winning Telugu film Pelli Chupulu (2016), written and directed by Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam, but the characters and setting have been moved to Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The film largely sticks to the original plot, but director Kakkar, with assistance from writer Sharib Hashmi, makes the material entertaining as well as fresh in the Hindi version.

The aforementioned Jai (Bhagnani) and Avni (Kamra) have one very important thing in common. They have complicated relationships with their fathers with their parents assuming the worst of their "useless" children. Jai and Avni discover this and more as they sit together in a locked room (by accident) when they get matched together for marriage.

The first half of the film takes us through Jai and Avni's histories. Jai is a no-good, lazy slacker who barely scraped through as an automobile engineer and held a lousy job at a call centre. He was fired when he made a public scene at work, going viral in a video recorded by his co-workers. A foodie at heart, Jai wants to be a chef.

In contrast, Avni is determined and responsible, having graduated with an MBA with plans to open a food truck business of her own. She hopes to go to Australia to study and expand her knowledge.

They realize that they can help each other out in their respective goals of proving themselves to their parents and, in turn, to society by coming together as partners in a food truck business. They call it 'Mitron', where one can come and eat. The pair have a disastrous start, but they realize their understanding of one another can help them both to succeed.

Eventually, their food truck becomes a success story, but the two partners come to a crossroads when all they wanted in their lives is in their grasp. But is it all what they had hoped for or is their secret desire something else altogether?

Kakkar has assembled an excellent crew to bring this adaptation to life. Bhagnani's sleepy-eyed passiveness as Jai works well and television actress Kamra is natural and assured in her first film role. Her Avni is strong and measured when needed and she becomes the guiding force for Bhagnani's Jai, who sorely needs direction. Both Bhagnani and Kamra make you care for their characters.

The supporting cast of characters is all delightful from Jai's friend Deepu (Shivam Parekh) to his grandmother to his prospective father-in-law (Mohan Kapoor). But let me be frank, actors Neeraj Sood, as Jai's father, and Pratik Gandhi, as Jai's best friend Raunak, nearly steal the show. They will have audiences chortling with their well-delivered lines.

Gandhi, in particular, has gems like, "Kabhi kabhi mujhe khayal aata hai, ke yeh dono shaadi karenge, toh khana kaun pakaega [Sometimes I wonder, if these two get married, who will make dinner]?"

The Telugu film had also won a National award for its sparkling dialogues and Hashmi has adapted Tharun's story and dialogues well. There isn't much lost in translation here. Kakkar and Hashmi had previously worked together on the National award-winning Filmistaan (2014). That film was a hidden delight. Hopefully more people will discover this winsome story.

The Gujarati flavour to the dialogues and story is given that extra touch when Bhagnani's character goes off on a crazy rant à la Kartik Aaryan from Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011) or when Jai's father gives him and his friends a proper dressing down yet again for the lack of motivation.

The production design by Urvi Ashar and Shipra Rawal is absolutely on point. The setting of the older, spacious residences of Jai and Avni in the small lanes of Ahmedabad, complete with bedroom doors that get jammed, looks inviting and cozy.

The soundtrack of Mitron also fits well with the film — from the obvious Gujju-inspired tracks 'Sanedo' and 'Kamariya' to the romantic tracks 'Sawarne Lage' and 'Chalte Chalte'. It is also nice to hear Sonu Nigam again with the moving ballad 'Door Na Ja'. Even Bappi Lahiri pops up to sing the track 'Ghar Ke Hai Ne Ghat Ke'!

The first half of Mitron flows quite smoothly and the twist at the interval is suprising as is the casting of Avni's boyfriend. It isn't often these days that a film can surprise, living as we are in the land of spoilers on the internet. Meanwhile, the second half resorts to some usual filmi tropes, but that is forgivable as eventually all the characters stay true to themselves in the film.

Spending time with the Mitron gang is a hoot in this down-to-earth movie. Trust me, they will begin to remind you of some members from your own family!