Shabaash Mithu: Movie Review

Plot

The plot of Shabaash Mithu revolves around the inspiring journey of Mithali Raj, a Tamil girl from Hyderabad who becomes one of India's greatest cricketers. The film takes us through Mithali's struggle to overcome hurdles such as bullying and unequal opportunities to play the sport she loves. The narrative is emotional and impactful, underlining the underdog message without any chest-thumping moments.

Acting

Taapsee Pannu delivers an outstanding performance as Mithali Raj, perfectly capturing her posture, body language, and behavioural pattern as a professional skipper. She internalizes the character so well that she manages to evoke emotions without needing any bombastic dialogues. The child actors, Inayat Verma and Kasturi Jagnam, do a fantastic job of portraying the friendship between two young girls with remarkable chemistry.

Cinematography

The cinematography in Shabaash Mithu is impressive, and the cricket sequences have been choreographed well. The film captures the nuances of women's cricket, fighting for its place under the sun, in a visually stunning way. Though the songs don't add much to the narrative, they do not compromise on the film's stunning visuals.

Direction

Srijit Mukerji's debut with Viacom project Shabaash Mithu is commendable. He does a remarkable job of portraying Mithali's journey with the right amount of sensitivity, without making it another loud and unsubtle sports biopic. A little more enthusiasm and spunk in the screenplay could have done wonders.

Conclusion

Shabaash Mithu is a film that will not turn around Bollywood's fate in the era of South domination, but it is a movie that leaves a lasting impact. The film is not perfect, with moments that feel overstretched and underdeveloped characters. However, the film does justice to the iconic cricketer's story, with excellent performances and visually stunning cinematography.

Share this review