Mammo Analysis

Mammo

Directed by: Shyam Benegal

Starring: Farida Jalal, Surekha Sikri

National Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi in 1995

The film is about Mammo who moved to Pakistan during the partition, and comes back to Mumbai to her sister's place after she has nowhere else to go. Along with Mammo and her sister, there is a 13-year old, Riyaaz, who doesn't get along with Mammo initially (and sometimes later too). 

The film seems like a buddy film if we look at Riyaaz and Mammo's on and off friendship. Riyaaz tries to break rules all the time and Mammo in spite of admonishing him, she seems to let him loose. I think Mammo is okay with Riyaaz breaking rules because she understands how rules and authority can fail as well, the way she's suffering - she probably looks at Riyaaz breaking rules in the same way she's breaking rules now (by extending her visa through bribes) and before az well (by sneaking cigarettes). 

I didn't understand why they say in the end that Mammo is controlling, yes in between she asks him to pray and be a Muslim, but she's never harsh on him for breaking rules, she smokes a cigarette with him, she tries to save his ass when his magazines get caught by her sister. I didn't understand why he bursted that she's controlling of him.

The conversations felt realistic even today, especially the difference between the way both the sisters talk to each other and the way they talk to Riyaaz. In spite of there being conflicts a lot of times in the film, the conversations never felt heavy or too dramatic.