barnwalsatyam Today morning, I watched the movie- Mr. and Mrs. Iyer. Actually someone provoked me to watch it. As usual, I just googled it to its wiki page and IMDb. IMDb gave it 7.9 (a pretty good for Hindi movie, which is always underestimated when compared with Hollywood, in rating), which was the only enough reason to watch it. Moreover, user reviews were also telling it "a must watch movie". Also, the story line didn't seem like the typical good going Hindi movie. Therefore, I downloaded it and watched it at 04:00 AM...ya its in the morning.Movie was all about a bus journey, where bus was carrying the people of different religions and ethnics of India. Director Aparna Sen plotted the whole story around the Jahangir (a Muslim guy) and Mrs. Minakshi Iyer (a pure Tamil Brahmin). By putting the passengers from different age group, Sen also tried to focus on generation's thought process. In fact, in movie, one very old guy was complaining on the today's dress culture by comparing it from their times that he barely saw his wife's hand on his marriage. As movie proceeds, bus got stuck in a curfew. Later passengers came to know about happening of all this curfew because of the riot going on between Hindu and Muslim. A mob of their respective religion were killing the people and burning the villages of anti- religion. In-between, Minakshi came to know Jahangir is a Muslim. Being a hypo typical Brahmin girl, she hated him first, but later saved his life saying him as her husband and tagged him with the name "Mani". If she hated him, then why she saved his life?........Answer to this question may be because Jahangir helped him before this incident or she wants someone to protect her and her child or might be because of humanity. Whatever it was, afterward this, the whole bus was knowing them as Mr. and Mrs. Iyer. Jahangir was shown as an open-minded person opposing to the Minakshi who was always highly concerned about the caste-ism. But, as the story proceeds, she started feeling all this caste-ism a crap and transformed herself into Jahangir's personality. Later both fall in love but don't disclose their feelings except Minakshi saying Jahangir as Mr. Iyer.And ya one more thing- mind the pronunciation here: Its Meenakshi and not Minakshi as told by Meenakshi in the movie :)Well, how much I liked it? ..... Answer is in the rating which I'll give it 7 out of 10. Why I gave 7 because movie was a good going and I never felt bored. Apart from this, there was something in the movie which was not ordinary. I can't exactly name it but it may be the kinda different script, unusual and undefined relationship which is itself not sure about its name. Why I deducted 3 because it didn't touch my emotion which I generally expect from movie or may be I overestimated it before watching it.

Peter Young I am at a complete loss of words after seeing this sensational love story. Directed by Aparna Sen, a true master of her craft, it is set against the backdrop of tribal war and communal violence. The story starts in a bus, in which a young westernised Muslim photographer named Raja (Rahul Bose) and a traditional married Tamil Brahmin woman with a young child named Meenakshi Iyer (Konkoka Sen Sharma), meet by chance on a cross-country bus ride to Calcutta. The bus includes varied passengers from noisy teenagers to an old Muslim couple to a mentally ill boy with his mother to card-playing men. Raja and Meena had been introduced to each other just before the trip started and they eventually sat together. When she finds out that Raja is actually a Muslim, her first reaction is "Don't touch me!". However, later the bus is suddenly stopped by Hindu extremists looking for payback for a Muslim act of violence. This is one of the film's most heartbreaking sequences. When asked, Meena introduces both Raja and herself as Mr. and Mrs. Iyer, thus saving Raja's life. Upon a curfew, the two leave the bus and find shelter in a remote forest guest-house. That's where the love story begins. They initially do not get along due to differences in their views, but finally develop a liking for each other. From their first real interaction and reconciliation in the beautiful forest to the scenes in which they are forced to cook up stories of their "honeymoon" to different girls who seek for some romantic fairy tales, they get increasingly closer and ultimately fall in love. But one question really starts worrying us: what about the real Mr. Iyer?Fascinating and engaging, Mr. and Mrs. Iyer is definitely one of the best films made in the early 2000s. It is not a film about Muslims or Hindus, it is about Raja and Meena, or better known as Mr. and Mrs. Iyer. It is a love story at heart, a subtle one, an inhibited one, a poetic one, an authentic one, a heartwarming one. Never does it get sidelined by the film's basic background which is communal strife. It's amazing to see how Meenakshi gradually overcomes her prejudice and learns new things about herself and about life in general thanks to her acquaintance with the intelligent and worldly Raja. The film is beautifully shot, some locations are breathtaking, and everything--from story and direction to cinematography and editing to music and background score--is nothing short of excellent. As for the casting, I cannot see anyone else but Konkona Sen Sharma and Rahul Bose as Mr. and Mrs. Iyer. Bose is fantastic in a greatly restrained act, and as the carefree and kind Raja, sets a great example to all of us of how to live life with passion. Sen Sharma's preparation for the role is more than evident. She is absolutely outstanding as Meena. Everything, from her perfect Tamil accent and dialect to her mannerisms to her worried facial expressions, is so aptly displayed that there seems to be nothing more precise than to say that this incredibly talented lady is one of the finest actresses of recent times. The film's ending is deeply moving. In a few words, this film is about humanity, kindness and love. It shows us how love conquers hatred, and it shows us that humanity and love know no religion, caste or colour. This is an outstanding picture.

marina-angel-ds Aparna Sen has written and directed a winner !!!This movie addresses an issue that is often dealt with but has never been treated with as much clarity and closer to reality as this. It is amazing how Aparna Sen has managed to bring out the brutality and the futility of communal riots without the usual mind-numbing violence and blood shed. It reminds us how baseless are the inherent prejudices in the minds of people against people of other religions. Another thing it does is to show how thin the line is between marital fidelity and otherwise. For a Bengali, Konkana Sen pulls off the part of a Tamilian very convincingly. And Rahul Bose as the pensive photographer, has outdone himself. Their fateful meeting and the journey that they embark on, is one that you don't want to miss. All in all a beautiful movie.

soumitra_d This is a must see for all who crave for meaningful, deep yet subtle cinema, and it flows like a dream and goes past you leaving you with the slight tinge of pain at the end. The beautifully simple cinematography blends perfectly with the brilliant background score and the mood of the film.At a personal level, I rediscovered my inner yearnings and passions from the character of Rahul Bose, Mr. Raja Choudhury, whose eyes were telling from the beginning of the subtle, sweet relationship between him and "Mrs. Iyer" of the impending breakup. The poet residing in the heart of the wild life photographer comes out when he started talking about "their" honeymoon and love trips in Waynad, Chidambaram ... which had never taken place, or would never take place. Although Konkona played her role wonderfully and fully deserves the accolades she got, Rahul showed such understated restrain in his acting that one can easily identify oneself with him. I liked the movie for its romanticism and complex interplay of human emotions. It deserves a perfect 10.