A mathematical biopic might seem like numbers and equations, but this drama is based on the life of inspiring mathematical genius Shakuntala Devi, who was known as the ‘human computer.’
The story starts in London, where the daughter of Shakuntala Devi (Vidya Balan) Anupama (Sanya Malhotra) has filed a criminal lawsuit against her mother to demolish her financially, and then frame changes to five-year-old Shakuntala in Bangalore in 1934, who resolves a cube root of eight-digit figures within seconds. When it becomes crystal clear that this is no coincidence, her father takes her to various local schools to earn as a kind of performing math where people throw challenges at her, and she solves them. Her sister dies of illness, and tragedy strikes her as she vows to earn a name for herself. She never forgives or ends up like her mother, who considers her weak.
She tries to shoot at a paramour who was trying to fool her. She is sent to the UK, where she gets recognition for her extraordinary mathematics skills. A Spanish man named Javier teaches her English and way of Western life. Due to her hard work and astonishing skills, she gains acknowledgment as a ‘human computer;’ she also gets her place in the “Guinness Book of World Records.”
Later, she marries an IAS officer Paritosh (Jisshu Sengupta), she resumes travels as this is what her husband requested, and she takes her daughter Anupama with her. Shakuntala fails to find impartiality between her passion for math and being a mother. Examining her peevish relationship with a daughter who wants a healthy life, the film switches between the lives of Shakuntala and her grown-up daughter; it becomes a perusal of the choices before zealous women who are mothers and the sacrifices they make. Two of the excellent scenes are centered on domestic dissension triggered by this bristly relation; the outburst of exasperation in Anupama’s otherwise light husband, Ajay (Amit Sadh), is staggering and true to life, while Paritosh talking to Shakuntala about abandoning Anupama has the hapless pucker impact of keeping their daughter close for the rest of her childhood.
Vidya Balan in a scene from “Skakuntala Devi” ( Abundantia Entertainment, 2020).
“Shakuntala Devi” is directed by Anu Menon and co-written by Menon with Nayanika Mathani. Despite emotionally connected to the non-math sections of her life, the ultimate motive of the film is hard to find, and screenplay misses a few of the most exciting chapters of Shakuntala’s life, craning so many other things in the film as to suffer a loss to the narrative. The real Shakuntala Devi was a mastermind, who answered the most challenging equations with style and smile; her books helped generations of students get over their fear on the subject. She was way ahead of her time; before the change of feminism occurred she displayed these traits in her life. However, the script fails to bring these elements from her life from page to screen.
Menon took some valiant selection regarding what to show and what to ignore. Sadly, those don’t favor the film much. She did well managing the path but was not apt to lead one. The overall result looks good visually, and optimally uses the cast for the same. Menon hits some notes right, but passes over many others. Scenes like her book in 1997 on homosexuality are glazed over in a cringe-engender view. However, Keiko Nakahara’s camera nourishes the radiant, effervescent concept even in the intense scenes. Antara Lahiri’s editing is just right, as the content was so precipitate and disintegrates.
Vidya Balan delivers yet another performance where she gets under the skin of the character so well it’s impossible to think she is not Shakuntala; her dialogue delivery with a smile keeps one on track, and she justifies every frame she is in and hit the ball out of the park. Sanya Malhotra as a turbulent daughter delivers her role extraordinarily well, and her chemistry with Balan is soothing to watch, as is their love-hate relationship. The supporting cast also plays their purpose well.
Overall, “Shakuntala Devi” is a must-watch. It has few messages which one should understand, a stellar performance from Vidya Balan, and a star cast which should not be missed. This biopic is a good pick for the coming week; you can catch this biopic drama on Amazon Prime.
