Rakesh Mehta directorial 'Mehar' lacks sharpness and realism

Movie review

Film Mehar

Director Rakesh Mehta

Cast Raj Kundra, Geeta Basra, Rupinder Rupi, Baninder Bunny, Ashish Duggal, Savita Bhatti, Hobby Dhaliwal

Rating Two Stars

Raj Kundra makes his Punjabi film debut with Mehar, a family drama that tries to pack in love, struggle, faith and the dream of stardom. At the heart of it is Karamjit (Kundra), a theatre actor who marries his college sweetheart Simi (Geeta Basra) and sets out to become a hero. What follows is a long list of financial troubles, family tensions and crushed hopes, with the promise that someday, his big break will arrive.

The issue isn’t with the story — it has enough emotion to hold interest — but with the way it plays out. At two and a half hours, the film feels stretched, with the first half dragging the most. Major milestones — romance, marriage, parenthood, career struggles — are compressed into songs, while everyday details that could have made the story believable are missing. By the time the drama heightens, the audience can already see what’s coming.

Attention to detail is patchy. Raj Kundra’s Karamjit is shown as a man struggling to make ends meet, yet he sports brands like Brooks Brothers, Bourbon, Adidas and crisp shirts that don’t match his poverty. Geeta Basra, meanwhile, looks picture-perfect in every scene — makeup, eyeshadow, foundation, all on point — even in the middle of the family’s worst crises. Emotional scenes too don’t always land; characters are shown crying, but rarely do you see real tears on screen.

Performances are a mixed bag. Raj Kundra deserves credit for sincerity. His effort to anchor such an emotionally heavy role is evident, though his craft will take time to refine. Geeta Basra, as the supportive-turned-frustrated wife, looks polished but doesn’t quite deliver the rawness her character demands. Savita Bhatti, as the overbearing aunt, makes her presence felt, though sometimes overdoes it. Hobby Dhaliwal is wasted with barely a handful of dialogues.

On the other hand, Rupinder Rupi is mostly good and convincing, and Baninder Bunny is the dependable friend who stands around more than he speaks.

Where Mehar does score is its music. The songs are pleasant and fit well with the situations, marking important turns in the story. Sadly, the direction and treatment don’t rise to the same level. The picturisation feels old-fashioned, almost like a 90’s film where too much happens in songs and logic takes a back seat. What could have been an emotional ride ends up predictable and slow.

Mehar is an honest attempt — you can see the effort — but it lacks the sharpness and realism needed to truly strike a chord with today’s audience.