Mixed Doubles

Mixed Doubles (2006) is a humorous, poignant, and thought-provoking Indian film that probes the subject of marital complacency and the exploration of new experiences. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Rajat Kapoor, this meaningful film stars immensely talented performers such as Konkona Sen Sharma, Ranvir Shorey, and Koel Purie, who breathe life into this intricate tale of a middle-class couple trying to escape domestic ennui.

The storyline centres on Sunil Arora (Ranvir Shorey) and his wife Malti (Konkona Sen Sharma). They appear to be in a content, yet monotonous and predictable, married life. Every day is a chess game routine: drop the kids at school, rush to work, return home exhausted, and then it’s lights out. Sunil works for a declining advertising agency, and Malti is a housewife who spends most of her daytime watching Saas-bahu soaps. The mundane predictability of their domestic routine triggers in Sunil a burning desire to break the cycle and bring a dash of spontaneity and excitement to their life.

Ranvir Shorey brilliantly captures Sunil's sense of ennui, boredom, and yearning for novelty. His quirky persona contrasts beautifully with his more restrained and conservative wife Malti, played elegantly by Konkona Sen Sharma. Malti, initially dismissive of Sunil's ideas, gradually begins to see the merits in breaking free from drudgery. As a result, Sharma skin-deep embodies the transformational journey Malti undertakes. Their charming chemistry as a couple is the heart and soul of the film, and their honest performances give the audience a sympathetic and relatable glimpse into their lives.

To spice things up, Sunil comes across an article on 'wife-swapping' and perceives it as an adventurous way to reignite their passion and zap away their boredom. The wife-swapping idea is just a sparking point for the narrative, pushing the characters into an uncomfortable zone that brings out their insecurities, hidden urges and moral dilemmas. It's not what the movie endorses but rather serves as a narrative tool that gets the inhabitants of the comfortable middle-class world out of their comfort zone.

Sunil tries to convince Malti, and after initial hesitation, they plunge into this daunting experiment, meeting with the hip and seemingly ultra-modern couple Kalpesh (Rajat Kapoor) and Renu (Koel Purie). Kapoor as Kalpesh and Purie as Renu sharply embody their characters' free-thinking, progressive, and yet flawed outlook. The meeting of the two couples and the exploration of this unsettling idea forms the crux of the film.

What makes Mixed Doubles intriguing is the director's conscious decision to avoid censorious moralising and to tread a fine line between comedy and drama, truth and satire. The film analyzes contemporary marital relationships, social mores, mid-life crises, and changing moral standards with a persuasive but non-judgemental attitude, discovering many unexpected laughs and relatable moments along the way.

Rajat Kapoor’s direction is adept at bringing out both the humor and the underlying pathos of this situation, and the film is designed with subtlety and audacity. He masterfully allows the audience to laugh at their predicaments while also demanding an empathetic understanding of their struggles.

One of the greatest strengths of Mixed Doubles is that it never strays from its realistic portrayal of life. There are no unnecessary songs, no exuberant fluff, and the narrative progresses at a steady pace, unraveling the complexities of the characters and their life-altering journey in a sincere, straightforward manner.

Cinematically, the film boasts a crisp and engaging visual story-telling essence. The cinematography and production design capture the middle-class milieu vividly, and the restrained color palette adds to the real, mundane, and yet subtly playful tone of the film. The film's dialogues are witty, fresh, and brimming with sharp introspection, making Mixed Doubles an individually flavoured cinematic brew.

In essence, Mixed Doubles is a delightful aberration from conventional Indian cinema. The film is a deft blend of light-hearted and sobering moments that question the invisible boundaries of matrimony, societal norms, and the pursuit of happiness in the middle class strata. It’s a compelling and unconventional watch that gives the audience a lot to gulp, ponder, and laugh about.