A poignant yet dull film that feels resigned to fate – Beyond Bollywood

We haven’t seen Gajendra Vithal Ahire’s original Marathi film Anumati (2013), but like its protagonist, the Hindi remake leaves us frustrated.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️ (2 / 5)

By Mayur Lookhar

Here is Madhu (Neena Kulkarni), excited for her first trip to Europe. She’s at the local Indian airport (perhaps Lucknow), eager for a picture with her husband, Arvind (Anupam Kher). Afterward, as Arvind moves to pick up the bags, he turns around to find poor Madhu collapsed on the floor. She is rushed to the hospital, where doctors diagnose a brain hemorrhage, and she is placed on life support. Margaret Mitchell’s words, “Life’s under no obligation to give us what we expect,” resonate deeply with viewers, who feel for Madhu. One moment, she is full of joy; the next, she loses consciousness. Arvind, now retired, likely invested a large portion of his savings into this Europe trip, but he is forced to scramble for funds to save his wife.

The initial report isn’t positive, and the son has lost hope for a miracle, giving his consent to take his mother off life support. With no active health insurance policy, Arvind faces a critical dilemma – either find the funds or sign the document to take his beloved wife off life support. When the going gets tough, the tough get going, and Arvind isn’t ready to give up easily. His son is selfish, while his daughter, though considerate, is not in a great financial condition herself. Arvind is racing against time to save his wife.

Back in 2013, acclaimed Marathi filmmaker Gajendra Vithal Ahire penned and directed a similar story in Anumati, for which the late Vikram Gokhale won a National Award for Best Actor. 11 years later, Ahire has directed its Hindi remake, The Signature. We haven’t seen the original, but this Hindi remake leaves us as frustrated as its protagonist.

Make no mistake, this poignant story needed to be told to Hindi audiences. While it is moving, a film can’t rely solely on sentimental value. Part of our frustration stems from the average writing and uninspiring performances by the leading cast. In his debut film Saaransh (1984), Anupam Kher portrayed a 65-year-old man grieving the loss of his son, despite being just 28 and bald at the time. Now, at 69, he plays a similarly sullen character. In a rare instance, the wig seems to fit well on his bald head; the grey wig reflects the character’s age better than a fake black one would. It’s a critical situation for Arvind, and while it’s natural for him to lose his cool on a few occasions. this remains yet another typical Anupam Kher performance. This is disappointing because Anupam can relate to Arvind’s struggles from his own experience when his wife, Kirron Kher, battled cancer.

A selfish son and a helpless daughter add to the tension of the conflict, but Ahire’s film questions societal norms that often favour sons, especially in matters of inheritance. Greedy children typically long for their parents’ signatures to inherit family wealth, but here the son Anand (Kevin Gandhi) pressures his father to sign the document to take his mother off the ventilator. Failed relationships are a reality in the modern world, yet Ahire’s supporting characters feel underdeveloped, and the actors’ performances are uninspiring. They just don’t strike as a family.

The screenplay largely focuses on the protagonist, Arvind, leading to long moments of frustration. A background score feels unwarranted here, and the lack of sound in such stories is reminiscent of the sob dramas of French and Iranian classics. What The Signature lacks, however, is the physical struggle and trauma of Amour (2012) or the chilling silence of The Salesman (2016). While bawling buckets may seem dull for Indian audiences, the viewer gains little insight into the bond between the aged couple beyond Arvind’s struggle to source funds. Neena Kulkarni played a similar character in Anumati. Sadly, she is reduced to a mere unconscious patient in The Signature. Annu Kapoor hams his way as Arvind’s best friend Prabhakar.

Mahima Chaudhary has more of a cameo role as Ambika, a close college friend of Arvind—a first for the duo. Chaudhary is initially unrecognizable, as she wears a wig, possibly indicating that she shot this film while battling cancer. In the film, Ambika also has cancer. We salute her fighting spirit in real life, but this cameo performance feels very academic.

Usually dependable, Ranvir Shorey has a brief cameo as a ‘rebel patient’ who rants against the medical system in the country. Anumati / The Signature highlight the challenges surrounding medical care and health insurance in a populous country, but they don’t villainize the medical fraternity. Manoj Joshi, who plays the doctor, reminds us that medical science is no miracle and that running a hospital is a challenge due to the high costs, especially when affording world-class technology. The film questions the system but does not seek to blame any individual.

Despite its grim plot, Ahire has found a way to incorporate a couple of melodious tracks that play briefly alongside corresponding visuals. However, this is not enough to compensate for the overall average screenplay and dull performances. The Signature is a poignant yet lackluster film that feels resigned to fate.