Movie Review: Tumhari Sulu (Hindi)

Debut director Suresh Triveni's Tumhari Sulu, about Sulochana aka Sulu's (Vidya Balan delivering a scene-stealing performance) infectious spirit and her relentless pursuit to carve an identity of her own, will find echoes in many home-makers, and that's not just because it's so common, but because their desires and what their lives could have been otherwise are more often than not sidelined, repeatedly taken for granted and never taken seriously. Even in films. Which is why Triveni's positive re-interpretation of Sulu is such a pleasure to watch on screen. And anyway, when was the last time a middle-class household was depicted with a honesty that feels realistic, lived-in and inviting? Perhaps The Lunchbox?

What's more interesting is that Tumhari Sulu is as much a story of Ashok as its of Sulu, and the manner Triveni brings this flawed character to life, that of a typical 9-to-5 job holder coming to terms with his wife's overnight popularity as a late night radio jockey even as his insecurities and a sudden reversal of fortune drives a wedge between them, is quite a gender revolution in itself. For here is a man (a terrific Manav Kaul) who respects his wife for who she is and encourages her to pursue her dreams even when her family never misses an opportunity to put her down, and yet finds himself trapped in a patriarchal mindset, quite unwilling to adjust to the new reality and quick to blame his wife for their son's failings. As refreshing as it is to see such gender dynamics at play, it's this startlingly intimate portrayal of the couple that makes Tumhari Sulu a heartwarming watch despite its minor plot contrivances and sporadic false notes.