The Cinemawala

It’s an interesting journey for a film, especially when it goes from the script to the screen. Multiple factors weigh-in, as the transformation takes place from a spiral-bound notebook to the large screen of the cinema. It’s important to keep the writer’s view in mind because that’s what helps the director to envision the scenes on a large scale. When the director and the writer are the same people, it usually a win-win because there’s no reason for any thoughts getting lost in translation. With writer-director Prabhakar Meena Bhaskar Pant’s ‘My Client’s Wife’, things do go wrong because of the eventual product on the big screen, that deeply undermines the script, which, in my humble opinion, would’ve been smashing on paper. Based on a concept that’s very real and deeply concerning, ‘My Client’s Wife’ joins the list of those films, which are labelled ‘The Could-Have-Beens’. 

Set on a premise of a couple that blames each other for an accident/domestic violence that threatens their relationship, a lawyer appointed by the husband decides to investigate the seemingly odd wife who allegedly exhibits nymphomania. As the investigation continues, further mysterious events occur that signifies the presence of a third entity between the couple who may or may not have been the culprit. After going through multiple vantage points of the event, the climax throws the viewer off course, with its bizarre explanation behind the mystery. Bizarre because if as a viewer if you aren’t ready to buy it, then the whole concept will be lost on you. For obvious reasons, the suspense will be spoiled if revealed, so watch the film to get to it.

As mentioned earlier, it is a cracker of a script on paper. There are hardly any films made on the concept that talks about the frailty of the human mind and its constant need for spice in life. So from that aspect, it’s commendable that such stories are being written. Credit must go to the writer-director Prabhakar Meena Bhaskar Pant to have thought of this. In the same vein, the writer-director should bear the brunt of making the film look like a B-grade venture with its obvious hints about sexual debauchery. To be honest, despite having some of the good actors in the cast, it’s the production design that mars the narrative. Using misdirection as his primary weapon, the director wants the viewer to think about the obvious so that he can weave his magic at the climax, hoping to outwit the audience. Unfortunately, by the time the climax arrives, which’s arguably the high-point of the film, the audience is already fatigued with the suggestive sexual imagery that oscillates between crude and mundane. 

Sharib Hashmi, Anjali Patil and Abhimanyu Singh play the pivotal characters in the film. All three are good actors with a credible list of work behind them. This movie does more harm to them than anyone else, as it doesn’t allow them to exhibit their acting prowesses. Limited within the boundaries of the vision of the director, they perform to the best of their abilities, only to be held back by the lacklustre nature of the whole narrative. It’s sad to see these actors not getting an equal playing field to showcase their respective talent. 

‘My Client’s Wife’ could’ve become a potential game-changer. Unfortunately, it isn’t.

‘My Client’s Wife’ now streaming on all leading digital platforms (Jio Cinema, Airtel Xstream, Vodafone Vi Movies, TataSky and ShemarooMe). Rated Adult for suggestive language and images, run time of 106 minutes.

The Cinemawala Rating – 2/5