Polite Society movie review: Priya Kansara runs riot in a familiar yet funny take on sibling love

Cast: Ritu Arya, Priya Kansara, Nimra Bucha, Shobu Kapoor, Jeff Mirza Director: Nida Manzoor Language: English Why did writer and director Nida Manzoor title her new film Polite Society? The film is about two sisters Ria and Lena (played by Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya), and just like any other siblings, they are riotous and akin to a house on fire. The younger sibling is Ria (A sparking, sure-footed Kansara), and there’s nothing, absolutely nothing polite about her. The elder one is expectedly a little more reserved and restrained (Arya) but when it’s about the moments, those little, precious moments with her sister, she lets loose. Also, look at the father’s character (Jeff Mirza); he may not be an idiot but is surely idiosyncratic. So it all comes down to the mother, played by Shobu Kapoor, who adds normalcy to a family that hinges on madness and mayhem. Polite Society isn’t really a commentary on how a society or a family should be or behave. It’s a film about dreams and hope, about sacrifices and sorrows, and yes, some bits of suspense too. And all of this is woven together by a narrative that’s brisk and boisterous. Ria wishes to be a stuntwoman, and despite her rawness, she’s driven by an indefatigable thirst for not giving up. An early fight with a classmate ends both alarmingly and amusingly, but it sets the tone of her character, and the film. And just like the upcoming film Sisu, Manzoor has divided her film into multiple chapters; there are six in this one. It begins with a Hindi film song and ends with a Hindi film song, with a wacky ode to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas. Also commendable is Manzoor’s depiction of the Muslims. There are two Muslim families here: The Khans and the Shahs, and both are devoid of any clichés or cacophony. The film is set in London, so there’s absolutely no place for dialogues that involve Janaab or Aadab. Polite Society echoes sentiments of Saving Silverman and My Best Friend’s Wedding (both of which found their way to Bollywood with De Taali & Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety and Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai). When one is about to get married, the other tries all the tricks to break the bond and make the suitor the villain. In those, it was a lover, here, it’s a sister. Once the reveal happens, there’s no room left for surprise, but a small door is surely ajar for mirth. And what keeps the momentum going is obviously Priya Kansara, who commands the screen with her naïveté, arrogance, and rage. She refuses to acknowledge herself as the feeble, she’s the fury, as she says at least thrice in the film, all at incorrect situations. There’s something very childlike and charismatic about her that powers Polite Society; and just as hideous is Nimra Bucha as Raheela Shah, Salim’s (Akshay Khanna) psychotic and unabashedly wicked mother. She’s a hoot, especially in a fight scene with Ria. The camera lingers on her demonic face repeatedly, fueling her hideousness further. [caption id=“attachment_12513892” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Nimra Bucha as Raheela Shah[/caption] There are two takeaways from Manzoor’s film. First, there could be something ironical about the title of this film, or maybe it’s the filmmaker’s way to laugh at us that we expected a very subtle and dramatic take on the society that prevails in 2023. Second, hell hath no fury than a woman who herself is the fury. Rating: 3 (out of 5 stars) The film screened earlier in January this year at the Sundance Film Festival and releases in cinemas on April 28.

Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook ,  Twitter  and  Instagram .