Rajendra Talak’s movies are always awaited. When ‘O Maria’ promos started showing on TV, it had its elements which are characteristic to a Talak movie. A few notable faces from Bollywood, Goan flavour and a plot with a message- this movie had it all..! But this time there was a touch of a slightly different look-and-feel then his past movies.
Cut to a village probably in South Goa, where we are introduced to Maria [Shernaz Patel], a forty-plus hardworking spinster who runs beach-side shack alongside her house. She also shelters tourists as paying guests, and we are soon introduced to one Mike [Cory Goldberg], an American resident who lands in Goa as a tourist, but ends up staying here more and more (at Maria’s guest house of course!) in search of inner peace. Maria does well to run the house, the business and also look after her bedridden mother [Sulabha Arya] who cannot talk because of her paralysis.
In the immediate neighbourhood, Maria’s late brother’s [Rosefern] wife [Meenacshi Martins] and her elder son Jack [Aryan Khedekar] have an eye on Maria’s property. Maria’s late brother, we are then told, had signed a contract with a top real estate developer Jitu Shah [Tiku Talsania] to sell his entire property. But Maria refuses to sell her share citing her mother’s deep attachments with the property and also because she believes in preserving the sanctity of Goan culture. Her denial results in a tiff between the brother and sister. The rest of the movie portrays Maria’s struggles with her family members in keeping the property intact and away from the selfish eyes of the real-estate builder. In the process, the story gives a message about Goa’s land being put to sale rather meekly to foreigners.
Screenplay by Rajendra Talak doesn’t bore, but keeps the audience engrossed. Cinematography is not exceptional, but serves the purpose. Background score by Ashok Patki also adds to the Goan flavour. Music by Remo Fernandes is soothing and adds life to the beautiful lyrics penned down by Sai Panondikar, to result in a wonderful and trademark song- “Laara laarachi… aik ti kataraan…”
Of the cast, Kevin D’Mello as the well-cultured nephew is pretty impressive. John D’Silva with his short cameo (surprisingly a serious one) is still able to bring a smile on the audience’s face. Aryan Khedekar as the spoilt brat looks apt and delivers well. Sulabha Arya, Tiku Talsania, the American actor- Cory Goldberg and the lead- Shernaz Patel are all great actors, but they all had very little opportunity to show display their talent.
The biggest flaw with “O Maria” is its lack-lustre and shallow treatment of the subject. The story and the message could have been told with a much better conviction. The film makes the audience thinks, but in the process, if it could touch the heart, then it would have made a much better impact on the minds. The narration was so much uni-dimensional, that it looked like just reading an essay on a stage. The characters could have been worked upon better. The old mother’s attachment towards the ancestral house could have been shown by showing some snap shots of her past- some good times that she spent there. The American resident’s craving for peace in Goa could have been justified by telling a bit more about him. The well-natured nephew and his close bonding with Maria should have been shown visually in a couple of scenes rather then just saying it in dialogs. Maria’s struggle with his family and the real estate builders was the most promising part, where the best out of the talented actor like Shernaz Patel could have been tapped. Look at Shernaz in Black or Guzaarish, and look at her in O Maria, and then you will know what I mean.
But let’s not be too cynical. What I liked about the film is its realism. The dialogs between the American citizens are shown in American English and not in Americanized Konkani, like in some Bollywood movies. No unnecessary songs. Rajendra Talak is still the best when it comes to Konkani film industry. Perhaps we expect the best only from people who show promise. And we know he is getting better with every new film.
My Rating: **
My Reality Check: ***
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