Movie Review

Pooja (Mrunal Thakur) is accused of abetting Aniket's (Vikram Singh Chauhan) suicide. But did she really push him to it?

The problem is that, as complex as this entire discussion is, the film itself never quite arrives at a satisfying understanding of it.

Niren Bhatt’s screenplay does have a promising arc. What may appear to the outside world as an innocuous crush can, from the woman’s perspective, quickly take on an unsettling, even sinister, dimension. The screenplay also brings the alpha male mentality into the conversation, examining the sense of entitlement that can turn attraction into obsession. But the film ultimately takes the most convenient route out of this morally murky territory. In its eagerness to establish Pooja’s innocence, it ties up the ambiguity far too neatly.

Performance-wise, Mrunal Thakur plays her part well as Pooja. Huma Qureshi as Sana Mahfooz, who plays Pooja's lawyer, delivers. Vishal Singh Chauhan, as Aniket, comes off as slightly irritating, and that's a win because that's the character's demand.

Overall, Pooja Meri Jaan deserves credit for attempting to engage with a conversation that Hindi cinema has, till now, approached rather simplistically. It understands that consent is not a one-time contract, and attraction does not create entitlement. More importantly, rejection, however hurtful, cannot be treated as an offence. There are moments when the film gets close to the grey areas of modern relationships, where intentions can be misread. Unfortunately, it lacks the courage to stay in that grey zone for long. Instead, it eventually opts for a convenient resolution, diluting some of the complexity it so carefully built up.