Movie: Muramba Rating: ★★★1/2 Genres: Drama Censor: U Duration: 130 min. Studio/presenter: Dashami Studioz, HUGE Productions, Pratisaad Productions Producer(s): Nitin Vaidya, Ninad Vaidya, Aparna Padgaonkar, Anish Joag, Ranjit Gugle Director: Varun Narvekar Cinematography (DOP): Milind Jog Screenplay: Varun Narvekar Music: Hrishikesh, Saurabh, Jasraj Cast: Sachin Khedekar, Chinmayee Sumit, Amey Wagh, Mithila Palkar Movie Review by: Ulhas Shirke

Break ups are very common these days, among youngsters in the age group of 18 and 26 years. With the rise in cases of break ups, the habits of smoking and drinking in this age group has also gone up. Dashmi Studios,Huge Productions and Pratisad Productions’ latest released Marathi film ‘Muramba‘ presents  one such break up case between young lovers Alok ( Amey Wagh) and Indrayani alias Indu( Mithila Palkar). Both are from well to do families and know each other since their childhood days. While Indu is a hard working career focussed young girl working in an ad agency, Alok is exactly opposite to her, without any focus on his career. Though a Gold medalist MBA, Alok leaves his internship in USA half way and instead prefers a Accounts Professor’s job at a Coaching Institute.

Alok does apply for jobs, but is not confident about himself to take up higher responsibilities. On the other hand his girlfriend Indu is prepared to even take up an assignment for one year with kerala Tourism department and is even willing to go and live there. Alok who himself doesn’t want to take any risks in life, feels the gap between him and Indu widening on this issue of possessiveness. So, after three years of steady friendship, with all sorts of love and sex games, he decides for a break up and accordingly communicates to Indu about his decision.

‘Muramba‘ is actually the happenings taking place in next 24 hours, after their break up. So, we find Alok returning home in the early hours of morning, after spending the night in dejected state at a friend’s terrace. His clever mother (Chinmayee Sumeet) who reads his face, suggests Alok’s father Satyajit Deshmukh( Sachin Khedekar) to speak to him. So, the father with liberal attitude opens the discussion, during breakfast, after inviting Alok to the dining room. To the surprise of parents, Alok discloses that he had a break up with his girlfriend Indu, who is also a frequent visitor to their place, with good relationship with Alok’s parents. In order to prove his point, he even goes to the extent of revealing the drinking habits of Indu during parties.

Alok’s sensible father tries to persuade Alok giving him his own example of having differences with his mother, when he was small. But, Alok tries to justify his decision, explaining the difference between break up before marriage and after marriage. Finally, how the father uses his own methods to bring Alok and Indu together, has been presented in a humorous way, by writer- director Varun Narvekar very skillfully.

For Varun, this is his debut film as a director, but he seems to have used all his experience as assistant director to reputed film makers Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukthankar, very cleverly  into this film. Being a writer, screenplay writer and dialogue writer of this film, has come to his advantage, while developing every scene in this film, so realistically. Other good thing about him is the selection of artistes. Amey Wagh perfectly suits in the character of Alok and he finds very good support from newcomer singer turned actress Mithila Palkar, who has also perfectly fitted into the role of Indu, the modern career conscious girl of today. Sachin Khedekar plays his part like a versatile actor and delivers what was expected from him with total commitment to his character. In the role of Alok’s mother Chinmayee Sumeet has displayed her emotions very nicely in all those scenes to her share.

Good thing about ‘Muramba‘ film is the communication part between different characters, which goes on to say everything what the director wanted to convey. Watch the scene, when father is in discussion with his son in the roof top garden of their bungalow, while it’s raining. Then, there is important interaction among Alok and his parents, in their car, while going for lunch outside, followed by humor filled discussion on dining table in the hotel, with addition of Indu and so on. But, the scene where Alok visits Indu’s house and the way he is welcomed warmly by Indu’s parents, says it all. The director has cleverly indicated many things through these few scenes, without explaining much about Indu’s parents. Even the intimate scenes between Alok and Indu have been captured well.

Music directors Hrishikesh, Jasraj  and Saurabh have limited scope, but they have done their job well. Milind Jog’s cinematography and Avinash Sonavne’s sound design are worth mentioning assets of this film.  All in all, ‘Muramba‘ is a Sweet and sour recipe of a good creation.