‘Wonder Women’ movie review: Anjali Menon charts a heartwarming story of sisterhood

Anjali Menon’s Marvel Ladies, the story of a bunch of girls at a prenatal class, will go away you feeling heat. It’s an trustworthy, refreshing and ‘unfilmy’ tackle a lady’s being pregnant whether or not deliberate, unplanned, undesirable, or assisted. Every lady has her backstory, and their emotions about being pregnant vary from pleasure and hope, to anxiousness and ambivalence even — all these emotions that many new and anticipating moms/mother and father really feel. Menon effortlessly normalises that combined bag of sophisticated feelings and we don’t must take sides.  

It’s as a lot a narrative of sisterhood because the journey to motherhood, the sort that extends past the organic definition of a mom; in any case, not all moms give beginning. So there may be Nandita (Nadiya Moidu) who runs Sumana, the prenatal centre, who, at some point of the courses is a type of ‘mom’ to the six pregnant ladies attending the courses. The ‘classmates’ are Krishnaveni, Nora, Jaya, Saya, and Mini, essayed by Padmapriya Janakiraman, Nithya Menen, Amruta Subhash, Sayanora Philip and Parvathy Thiruvothu respectively. The sixth lady is Gracy, Nandita’s assist, portrayed by Archana Padmini.    

They bond over yoga classes, a WhatsApp group [called, no surprises… Wonder Women], gossip, and pictures of ideally suited positions to present beginning in and make their option to friendship regardless of their diverse backgrounds. Menon conveys issues solely a lady would know; the conversations, the conspiratorial laughing, and the exchanged appears to be like between ladies pals. 

Menon has picked a powerhouse of expertise to individuals her story. Padmapriya and Nithya Menen as Veni and Nora, two effervescent ladies trying ahead to their first infants; Marathi/Hindi actor Amruta as Jaya who has conceived after three miscarriages and is frightened of yet one more loss; Archana Padmini because the shy however ambitious-for-her-kids Gracy who’s anticipating her second youngster; Sayanora because the free-spirited Saya who calls for area from her ‘over-supportive’ boyfriend; and Parvathy, as Mini a single mom with no help, indignant and lonely — the casting is apt and the ladies relatable. Nadiya Moidu because the prenatal coach is restrained — be it taking part in peacemaker when disagreements rise or when there’s a private disaster.  

Parvathy’s understated efficiency as Mini brings a lump to the throat, particularly the scene the place she buys meals she craves and eats alone in a restaurant. Within the context of Indian households, meals cravings and being pregnant are an enormous deal, and this scene reinforces the character’s loneliness ever so subtly.      

Menon’s tales have all the time been layered, making you giggle whereas tugging on the heartstrings be it Ustad Resort, Bangalore Days, Manjadikkuru or Koode. It could have been tempting — given the topic — to get carried away, however she reins herself in and retains the narrative taut at an hour-and-a-half.

Motherhood is a recurring motif. Some characters introspect on their relationship with their moms, Veni talks of arguing along with her mom, whereas Nora says she must make an appointment to talk to her busy mom. For Mini, seeing her grandmother thaws her coldness and exposes her vulnerability, and Veni’s crucial mother-in-law ultimately turns into her ally and thereby a mom of kinds. 

It’s the type of story that’s common due to the expertise and might be situated anyplace on the earth. Since a Malayali director has helmed it, there have been questions on if it’s a Malayalam movie — it isn’t. The lingua franca is English and, often, some Hindi. There’s a smattering of Malayalam, as there may be Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Marathi. It’s an Indian movie.  

Menon additionally makes use of Marvel Ladies — maybe as a result of a pan-Indian viewers is a viewer — to do one thing south Indians, whose mom tongue has been generically known as that homogeneous entity  ‘Madrasi,’ would need to do. An change between the characters about talking in Hindi arises when Jaya, a Maharashtrian, says she will be able to neither perceive English nor Malayalam; the scene aptly underlines south India’s cultural and linguistic range. It’d strike some as a jarring observe, however someone needed to say it!  

One would presume that since it’s a film about ladies, the male characters would get the quick finish of the stick representation-wise. In a phrase, NO. They aren’t caricatures, however actual individuals with shades of gray and typically weak. As an example, Veni’s husband is the best way he is because of his upbringing and conditioning. We see his mom, so we all know why he’s the best way he’s. Jaya’s husband confesses that after years of making an attempt to have a child, he was extra involved about his spouse’s well-being than a toddler…these are usually not big or flamboyant gestures, simply individuals being weak and genuine. Even the relationships between the companions is proven with nuance.   

In fact, there are specific issues amiss; one is interested by like Saya’s story, Nora’s sophisticated equation along with her mom, Nandita’s motherhood journey… however then it’s the director’s prerogative. 

If this movie have been to have a tagline, it might be ‘by a lady, about ladies, for everyone!’  

Marvel Ladies is presently streaming on SonyLIV