Mittal v/s Mittal Movie Reviews

Quite a few films have dealt with marital rape in India – Daman, Provoked (though in English) and Matrubhoomi to name a few. Karan Razdan's film, Mittal v/s Mittal, deals with a particular case involving Karan Mittal (Rohit Roy) and Mitali Mittal. Predictable, but it does touch upon an important issue and brings out the predicament of a woman who is a victim of marital rape.

It's the subject material of MITTAL V/S MITTAL that takes you by surprise, especially the sequences where the husband commits marital rape, night after night. In the past, MATRUBHOOMI, DAMAN and PROVOKED have tackled similar issues. While MITTAL V/S MITTAL makes a sincere effort to be an eye-opener, it loses focus midway after it gets formulaic. On the whole, MITTAL V/S MITTAL is relevant, but is bogged down by mediocrity.

A purposeful film that ends up as pulp, Karan Razdan's take on domestic violence is too long drawn and too verbose, with almost unending courtroom sequences, to keep you engaged. Also, the violence hardly comes through, even though Rituparna, the wronged wife, sheds endless tears while narrating her tale of woe. Having spurned rich boyfriend, Rohit Roy when he makes an indecent proposal before marriage

The makers need to be applauded for bringing on screen a necessary subject. However, the film could have been much better and a recommended watch had it not been for the frivolous execution of the marital rape sequences.

Though not much has been written and said about MITTAL V/S MITTAL in the weeks preceding the release of the film, whatever limited promotion that one saw was centred around 'marital rape'. The question is - 'Is this actually the first film to be highlighting the issue of marital abuse?'. Not many moons ago, it was Preity Zinta who was seen in an atrocious VIDESH - HEAVEN ON EARTH where she had to go through

Mittal Vs Mittal deals with a serious issue — the horror of rape in a marriage and the trauma of the victim. But in a set-up that is too contrived and with a treatment that is too caricaturish, director Karan Razdan creates 150 minutes of a film that fails to find resonance, especially among the women in the audience. What you come out with is a question: how many times more will rape be the subject of a corny Bollywood film?

t’s a room full of disturbed wives. A woman lawyer (Suchitra Krishnamoorthi) takes class. Each battered hen is meant to spell out her problems. One of them can’t make hers public. She whispers instead into a volunteer’s ears, which is kind of pointless, given the volunteer announces to everyone thereafter: The husband sodomises her; uses instruments; even urinates in her mouth.” Ugh.

There have been many films made on rape and sexual violence. Most of them hope that depiction of violence will help to titillate the audience. Mittal Vs Mittal also sets out with this objective but the audience is more likely to get repulsed than titillated. Rohit Roy appears more like a buffoon rather than looking lecherous. The film ends on a predictable note but do not expect it to register with the audience. Most people will be happy to exit the auditorium. The film also has an obligatory 'item' song. But even this song fails to make an impact. Do miss this film unless... Sorry, whatever the personal circumstances this film is best avoided.

Verdict: This court battle won’t have many takers.