- Movie Name:Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway
- Critics Rating: 3.5 / 5
- Release Date: March 17, 2013
- Director: Ashima Chibber
- Genre: Biography, drama
Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway Movie Review: The film is based on the book 'The Journey of a Mother' written by Sagarika Chakraborty. Sagarika is an NRI whose children were taken away by the Norwegian Child Welfare Services in 2011 because they felt that Sagarika is not a good mother and she is not able to take care of her children well. Sagarika was also proved to be mentally unstable in the whole process.
Nonetheless, Sagarika got her children back after 2 years of struggle, the intervention of the Ministry of External Affairs as well as court battles with both the Norwegian government and her husband's family. There was a lot of conversation about this case in the country and the world. Now, this whole war has been portrayed in the film 'Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway'.
What is the movie all about?
Sagarika's film character is named Debika Chatterjee (Rani Mukerji), her husband is Anirudh (Anirban Bhattacharya), and the barnyard is named Wellfred. Debika comes to live in Norway with her husband, she is a middle-class Bengali housewife who enters a new world perhaps for the first time outside her home country. According to the Indian culture, she feeds her child by the hand, applies a black tika on the cheek or head, and follow other such customs. Not only this but Debika's husband Anirudh is also accused of domestic violence and not helping his wife. At the same time, it is tried to prove that both of them are not able to take care of their children properly. That's why the Child Welfare Service team starts to keep a constant watch on them and eventually they take away their children. Then the battle of a mother begins. Sometimes Debika goes to the foster home to steal her children, and sometimes she gets down to shouting and making a spectacle in the court. Not getting support from her husband's house also, her fight goes further and finally, she manages to bring back her children.
Ashima Chibber's direction
Since the story of the film is based on a true incident and Sagarika has wholeheartedly accepted the film, the story cannot be questioned in any way. Director Ashima Chibber has handled this emotional journey in a very sensitive manner but she left a little void in some things which should have been clear from the point of view of the audience. The execution could have been a bit better. The film is linked to the child welfare scam, But it has not been shown very deeply. A country that has such strict rules and shows no mercy in separating its children from their mothers. It would have been better if a little investigation was shown as to why they do this.
Rani impresses as a feisty mother
Right from her debut film, Rani Mukerji has given a new status to women-oriented films. 'Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat', 'Mardaani', 'Hichki', 'Black' or her other films.. Rani Mukherjee as Mrs. Chatterjee gives an amazing performance. The beauty of her performance is that she gets into the character in such a way that she leaves behind the image of a commercial actress or a superstar. 'Mrs Chatterjee...' is now included in Rani's list of powerful characters.
Anirban Bhattacharya has done justice to his role as Debika Chatterjee's husband. Neena Gupta, who plays a character inspired by late leader Sushma Swaraj's contribution, also has a good cameo which brings a turning point in the film. Jim Sarbh knows his job very well and in this film also he has attracted the attention of the people as a lawyer, we wish his character would have got a little more space. We would like to make a special mention of Balaji Gauri in the role of an Indian lawyer.
