'Sui Dhaaga' review: A finely woven film

Sharat Katariya’s latest outing weaves a warm sweater of an inspirational story

KARACHI: Intricately hand-knit by Sharat Katariya, Sui Dhaaga weaves an inspirational story of a tailor which serves as a warm sweater on a cold afternoon. Now that we have got all the needle-and-thread wordplay out of the way, it must be noted that the heartfelt performances by the lead cast do complete justice to the simple and moving story.

Varun Dhawan plays Mauji, descendant of a family of tailors but forbidden to work as one, who is married to a small town girl, Mamta (Anushka Sharma).

PHOTO: ANUSHKA SHARMA/TWITTER

Their relationship is almost non-existent amidst dogging around (even literally) to make ends meet and paying his mother’s hospital bills. The film follows Mauji who, upon Mamta’s insistence, defies his father (Raghubir Yadav) to take up tailoring.

Sui Dhaaga, while simple at heart, is a powerful film. The screenplay follows the clichéd rags to riches story formula but it hits the right notes. The characters, albeit a bit over dramatic are well-defined. One empathises with Mauji as he gets mistreated by his employer.

PHOTO: ANUSHKA SHARMA/TWITTER

After ample humiliation, Katariya makes sure to cut right to a crying Mamta, who is there to guide the audience’s emotions. One feels Mauji’s pain when he doesn’t give up in the face of hardships or fights for his rights. As always, Mamta is there to support him and direct his journey.

In a way, the audience also leans on her to keep up with the story. That’s because she somehow represents the audience. We get upset for Mauji, we root for him and we want him to succeed, just like Mamta does. Sharma, in her subtle performance, lays down the thread spool well for the viewers to follow.

PHOTO: ANUSHKA SHARMA/TWITTER

Meanwhile Dhawan proves yet again that he has come a long way since his Student of the Year days. Often criticised of over-acting, all he needs is a good director. While Sui Dhaaga doesn’t offer his best performance (his portrayal of Raghu in Badlapur and Dan in October were far superior), it does continue the slow, natural maturation of the actor.

Director Katariya’s treatment of the story highlights a woman’s role as a family member – an aspect often forgotten in the modern narrative of feminism. It’s commendable how he balances two opposing ideas – the old generation’s reliance on financial stability and the new generation’s desire to pursue its dreams, professional designers making money off the local artisans’ hard work and a woman’s strategically crucial role in making or breaking a family. In that, Sui Dhaaga is an essential feminist film.

PHOTO: ANUSHKA SHARMA/TWITTER

We knew from the beginning that Mauji would succeed but if it weren’t for Mamta, he would never have. A bluntly placed symbolic shot of Sharma’s footsteps catching up to Dhawan’s comes to mind. And throughout the film, we witness her not being left behind or overtaking him but walking beside him as a crutch.

I think that’s what makes their relationship beautiful as the couple goes from being forced roommates to becoming partners. With Mauji and Mamta, the film portrays a different kind of romance, which isn’t demandingly physical or passionate but more platonic and based on an emotional understanding.

Verdict: Light in fabric and warm enough to engage you for two hours, Sui Dhaaga is a finely woven film. (You knew the wordplay would come back).

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

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