Dr Ramandeep Mahal reviews 'Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway

As the trailer featured the lovely Rani Mukherjee and was based on a true story about the purest emotion on earth, I found it intriguing. A mother's unwavering, unmatched devotion for her children is featured in this movie. The story begins with a Bengali family who has shifted to Norway, and the children are literally abducted by people from the Child Welfare Society, their excuse being the inadequate care provided by the mother.

This film, directed by Ashima Chibber, really deserves praise for bringing attention to the difficulties encountered by immigrant moms and the arduous journey they take to survive in the face of intricate politics, regulations, and a foreign judicial system. The reality behind this act forms the main crux of the plot of the movie. The movie depicts the methods used by Norwegian Child Welfare Services (CWS) to deal with dishonest officials and delegates from both India and Norway. According to their plan, having more children will result in more donations, government funding, and foster families, all of which would boost CWS's bottom line. The movie is two hours, thirteen minutes long; whether it be the first half or the second half, the movie will keep you glued to your seats. But if one compares the first half with the second half, the latter is more interesting due to the inclusion of the courtroom drama. The courtroom drama made my eyes well up, as this part of the movie has a high emotional quotient. The majority of the dialogues are either in English or Bengali, but they are so emotionally charged that the essence of the dialogues is easily conveyed to the viewer.  

The movie begins with a moving scene where two Child Welfare Officers literally abduct Rani Mukherjee’s children (one of them still on breastfeeding) and Mrs. Chatterjee (Rani Mukherjee) running after them and screaming in anguish at this unexpected separation. The father of the children played by Anirban Bhattacharya is too concerned about his citizenship and job status. Then there is one lawyer after another, and the case just keeps getting complicated. CWS tries their best to prove that Mrs. Chatterjee is unfit; she feeds her children with her hands (implying that it's force-feeding), the condition they're living in is not quite suitable, there is domestic violence, etc.

This is a film based on true events. The then minister of external affairs, Sushma Swaraj had actually visited Norway to speak in favor of Sagarika Bhattacharya (on whom the movie is based). Veteran actress Neena Gupta plays Sushma Swaraj in the film. The initial courtroom scenes really stand out, both in terms of emotions and thrill, but after some time these courtroom procedures seem to be repetitive, especially in the climax. Now moving onto the suspense part, there is a scene where the character of Rani Mukherjee tries to escape with the children; this scene is well staged. There is another scene where she comes back home and mixes banana, milk, and rice while her mother-in-law shouts in the background; this scene is amazing. Watching the movie, it becomes clear that while Rani’s character has been painted with varied nuances, all other characters in the film sketched with broad strokes.  Rani’s husband’s character (Anirban Bhattacharya) didn’t leave much of a mark on the screen. Jim Sarbh elevates and provides the best scenes for the movie. His understated portrayal of an Indian-origin lawyer in Norway is what really makes this movie work. When Sarbh's character, Daniel, challenges the idea that adopted parents can't be as devoted and caring as biological parents, it gets you thinking.

The director has done a great job of blending all the segments together to provide an engaging narrative. The cinematography of the movie is a masterwork. From the eerily gorgeous Norwegian landscapes to the private and touching moments spent with a mother and her children, the cinematography masterfully depicts the disparate environments. The music of Amit Trivedi captures the essence of a courageous mother. "Shubho Shubho" is touching. Overall, this movie is an engaging viewing that will move and inspire the viewer on an emotional level. This will hopefully inspire more cinema that delves into the stories of housewives and highlights the tremendous amount of work that goes into parenting. The movie is available on Netflix. I would rate this movie 8.5 out of 10 based on Rani Mukherjee’s tremendous performance, as she has carried the movie on her slender shoulders.