Director Laxman Utekar’s social comedy drama surrounds an Bikaneri girl’s catch 22 situation owing to a consensual surrogacy

By Mayur Lookhar

“Nothing like what you’re expecting”.  Mimi’s [2021] poster teased us with these words.  As the trailer is out, every word holds true not just for the viewers but also for its protagonist.  Bikaneri girl Mimi [Kriti Sanon] gives in to the lure of 2 million rupees [20 lakh INR] and agrees to an childless American couple’s [played by Evelyn Edwards and Aiden Whytock] proposal for surrogacy. Unfortunately, the videsi couple do a volte face at the last minute, leaving our desi bachelor in a limbo. Should Mimi go for abortion or give birth.  Needless to say, she chooses the latter.

It’s no secret that how childless couples from within and outside India offer huge money to poor desi women for surrogacy.  It may look a win-win situation for all, but this surrogacy is easier said than done. The willing poor lady ought to carry out such a delivery with great secrecy, especially if she hails from a small town.

From agreeing to the surrogacy offer to disguising as a Muslim and living in her friend’s [played by Sai Tamankar] house, to later delivering the baby and claiming Bhanu [Pankaj Tripathi] to be the father, director Laxman Utekar has virtually given out the entire film in the 3 minute odd trailer.  Could there have been some element saved for film? Maybe, but in essence Mimi is a lighter take on the issues that comes come with a veiled surrogacy.

Kriti Sanon plays her maiden Bikaneri character. She doesn’t quite have the Rajasthani accent, but Bollywood directors, producers always ought to cater to the Hindi audience at large. Sanon though looks the part as Mimi. All along Sanon has largely excelled in romantic dramas or comedies, but this character requires a certain emotional depth. Though too early, but based on the trailer, especially the emotional scenes, Sanon does seem to emote Mimi’s pain finely.

The one totally unexpected thing here is the lack of a conventional romantic hero in a Bollywood comedy. Instead, here we have Pankaj Tripathi playing friend and later forced to act as a father of the unborn.  Tripathi was much appreciated for playing father to Sanon in the hit Bareilly Ki Barfi [2017].  Seeing them as thick friends clubbed as a pair out of contingency is a pleasant surprise.  After all, in reality, the man is only 14 years older than Sanon.  Could Bhanu and Mimi end up in marital bliss at the end of the film or would the friends reveal the surrogacy truth?

The trailer throws up some fine one-liners, particularly the doctor reminding Mimi how Shilpa Shetty retained her slim figure post surrogacy.  The Teri Ungli Pakad Ke Chala and the Sabse Bada Rupaiya tracks fit perfectly for the respective situation at hand.

We live in times when sentiments can be hurt without any valid reason.  We hope that Mimi faces no such troubles over its social message or the leading cast assuming fake identities to mask the uncomfortable truth.  Sanon reunites with her Luka Chuppi [2019] director, while A. R Rahman collaborates with Maddock Films again after Lekar Hum Deewana Dil [2014]..

Mimi promises to be an ideal family entertainer.   It releases three days after Sanon’s 31 birthday.  Sanon and her fans could be in for a double celebration this July.

Mimi is co-produced by Maddock Films and Jio Studios. The film will release globally on Jio Cinema and Netflix on 30 July.

Watch the fun-filled, entertaining trailer below.