The story is a gradual progression in life of characters, played by Swapnil Joshi and Mukta Barve, that we have loved.
Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai 3 review: Feel-good film, but with little fresh content
Cinestaan Rating
Release Date: 07 Dec 2018 / Rated: U
Blessy Chettiar | Mumbai, 07 Dec 2018 20:08 IST
The Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai franchise has a dedicated following among Marathi cinema fans. The full-house first day first show was proof of the characters’ popularity.
Right from their unusual yet memorable first meeting in the first film as ‘Mumbai’ and ‘Pune’ to their big fat Marathi wedding as ‘Mr & Mrs Pradhan’, the characters have remained relatable. This has sustained the interest of audiences and part 3 isn’t any different.
Swapnil Joshi, Mukta Barve, Prashant Damle, Mangal Kenkre, Vijay Kenkre, Savita Prabhune, Rohini Hattangadi and Suhas Joshi return as lovable (and sometimes intrusive) family members.
Gautam (Swapnil Joshi) and Gauri (Mukta Barve) have settled into marital bliss. They are comfortable around each other, often bicker over trivial matters, but always let love win. Both of them are focused on their careers and plan their life meticulously.
However, an unplanned pregnancy puts them in a spot. While the couple is keen to not have a child right now, their over-enthusiastic parents have gone a step further preparing to be grandparents.
The involvement of their family in their life is a little suffocating even for the audience.
Will Gautam and Gauri make a decision that makes everyone happy? Will they have the baby (or babies)?
Content-wise, MPM 3 is hardly fresh or even necessary. The story is a gradual progression in life of characters we have loved. Apart from that, there is nothing new by Pallavi Rajwade. The screenplay and dialogues by Pallavi, Ashwini Shende and Satish Rajwade (also the director) are hardly memorable. Even the twists are banal. But they are still enjoyable, fitting in the guilty pleasure category as they make you giggle on and off.
The Mumbai-Pune superiority debate points are casually slipped in conversations, but those nuances are only for residents of either city to catch and enjoy.
MPM 3 works for the charm of its supporting characters — Prashant Damle, Mangal Kenkre, Vijay Kenkre, Savita Prabhune, Rohini Hattangadi and Suhas Joshi. The scene of all family members calmly talking about Gautam and Gauri’s decision to not have the child as they are “not ready” is handled quite maturely. It echoes the dilemmas of many new-age couples torn between having families and careers and being forced to choose one.
They all add an element of familiarity and warmth as close-knit family members. It is sometimes hard to believe how they get along so well with one another. But we will let the makers take that escapist route. There are enough families quarrelling in real life.
Swapnil Joshi’s happy-go-lucky character is in-your-face. He tries too hard and that works against him. Similarly, Mukta Barve is so subdued sometimes you forget she exists. After her class act in Aamhi Doghi earlier this year, it’s difficult to see her underused. Both of them pitch in, but somewhere they remain short of becoming memorable.
The three homes in the film are so impeccably art-designed that they don’t look lived-in. The artificial surroundings tell on the story’s semblance. Any more films in the franchise without a strong storyline will only destroy the good memories of the first one. We hope the makers are deterred from bringing out another unless they have good reason, and content, to do so.
Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai 3 has no fresh writing or story, but it’s nevertheless a feel-good movie you can enjoy with friends or family.