At 24 years old, Mili aspired to start a new life in Canada, facing challenges such as her relationship with a boyfriend from a different caste and the fast-paced nature of her world. One unfortunate day, amidst her existing troubles, she becomes trapped inside a cold storage of a food joint. The story unfolds as she struggles to survive and escape.
“Mili,” directed by Mathukutty Xavier, is a Hindi remake of the Malayalam film “Helen.” The adaptation retains the core elements of the original, depicting societal judgments against a woman and her plight. Mili lives with her father, dreams of a better future, and works to support her aspirations. The film establishes a world where people hold varying opinions about Mili, but when she goes missing, judgments escalate without investigation.
Despite being a scene-to-scene remake, the Hindi version lacks the seamless cohesion of the original, missing the eerie undertone that contributed to its atmosphere. Jahnvi Kapoor, in her role as Mili, shines in the intense moments of being trapped. However, the film raises questions about the necessity of such remakes in an era when subtitles allow audiences to access diverse content.
The performances, particularly Janhvi Kapoor and Manoj Pahwa’s father-daughter dynamic, stand out, though the film’s direction and music, even with AR Rahman and Javed Akhtar’s involvement, lack a memorable impact. The question remains: Why resort to scene-to-scene remakes when the global audience is embracing diverse content with subtitles
Rating: 6/10