Mandi: A tricky one

Dir: Shyam Benegal

A couple of days ago, I ended up watching a movie called Mandi. To be honest, it is really very difficult to say what Shyam Benegal has tried to conclude. I mean it is not his fault for having such mediocre audience like me. But what I understood that the movie deals with the plight of the sex worker in our society. There is hardly anyone who really is supportive of the profession unless they are looking for some kind of return. Similarly, this movie clearly depicts how the people of the society sees the profession and how insensitive they can be as and when their needs are fulfilled. Sex has always been a taboo in India, which is for sure. The topic of recognizing the sex as a profession is a long gone debate. Despite some superstitious scenes, what I believe that Shyam Benegal tried to portray is that the life and death of the sex workers are in the hands of some filthy rich people and the politicians. It can be seen how the sex workers are restricted to fall in love or to live with a free will.

What I especially loved about the movie was the acting of Naseeruddin Shah. It was so natural and powerful. There he plays the role of a helper who helps in day to day activities in the lives of the sex workers ranging from maintaining their house, maintaining it, making food to buying pan. The way he depicts his sadness about the profession is something more than praiseworthy. The way Naseeruddin conveys his deep seated pain about the lives of those women and the new ones is something to look forward to. His dialogue delivery, his walking style, his way of talking everything seems so natural. Of course we already know how great an actor he is and surely I am not in a position to judge him. To be honest, to be the movie was quite tricky to understand and I hope that my readers would give it a shot and leave their views in the comment section of this post. The movie is available on Netflix.