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Shakuntala Devi Movie Review

Shakuntala Devi fails to live up to the expectations of a movie “based on a mathematician's life".

Shakuntala Devi Movie Review

Shakuntala Devi is a movie based on the celebrated mathematician's life. Directed by Anu Menon, the film falls right in the category of cliché Bollywood exaggeration of real life events. One of the few things that makes the movie a bearable watch is Balan's hysterical laughter. I'd give Balan's laugh more points than the movie's writing.

The plot circles around Devi's personal life. Be it issues with parents or with her own daughter, the movie addresses the personal drama of her life. Her journey with the numbers is the backdrop for the family drama.

The movie feels like a soap opera. Seeing more of Devi's life as a mathematician would have been great. At the end of the day, her genius is what makes her a fascinating and famous character. But Menon focuses on the mother-daughter relationship, thus falling into the old traps and tricks of Bollywood. 

Without a doubt, Balan's performance makes the film a vibrant watch. The supporting cast which consists of Sanya Malhotra, Amit Sadh, Sheeba Chaddha and Jisshu Sengupta too have done a great job.

The pacing of the film is tiresome. Transition from one stage of Devi's life to another is quick. Instead of addressing the fillers and process between two consecutive life stages, the movie is in a rush to move to the next phase, hence making the storyline loose.

Shakuntala Devi is a Saturday night family entertainer. It is the 2020 version of Baghban. The on-screen relationship between Balan and Sanya will make you want to hug your mother tightly but igniting the mathematician inside you is the last thing the movie does. 

The film can be streamed on the OTT platform Amazon Prime.

Movie Rating: 2.5/5

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