The story of the movie: Jaswanti Gangani (Supriya Pathak Kapur) lives in a 40-year-old building, Poonam CHS, in Malad, Mumbai. Her husband is no more while her son Bhavik (Ojas Raval) is settled in Dallas, USA. Jaswanti doesn’t feel lonely as she has her maid Manda (Margi Desai) and tenant Raju (Parikshit Tamaliya) for company. One day, the municipal corporation puts up a notice stating that Poonam CHS will be demolished in four months since property tax amounting to Rs. 1.96 crore hasn’t been paid in years. Jaswanti and the other women of the society confront the chairman, Chaman (Archan Trivedi), on this issue. He reasons that it is the builder’s responsibility to pay the dues. He assures that he’ll find a way but his lackadaisical attitude disgusts Jaswanti. Hence, she decides to come up with an interesting idea to make money and save her abode from getting demolished.
Most Gujarati films are set in Ahmedabad. Auntypreneur, thus, is a rare Gujarati movie based in Mumbai. Interestingly, most of the portions are shot in Ahmedabad but the makers have smartly inserted shots of Mumbai and the black-and-yellow taxis. Hence, no one would get a whiff of the Gujarat connection. The idea is novel and the characters are well etched. Hence, it is a treat to see how Jaswanti and the female residents join hands for a common cause. The makers, as expected, also make an important comment about female empowerment. This also makes the film relatable along with how Jaswanti and her team focus on everyday products to get inspiration in their mission. The finale, though predictable, keeps one gripped. Another memorable sequence is the intermission point.
Supriya Pathak Kapur is adorable. She’s apt for the part and delivers a very effective and entertaining performance. Parikshit Tamaliya leaves a huge impression in some crucial scenes. The scene where he opens up about his father is touching. Though this scene doesn’t have relevance to the later part of the story, it makes for a nice watch. Margi Desai raises laughs. Vaibhavi Bhatt (Suvarna Kaki) comes next and leaves a mark. Kaushambi Bhatt (Panna; who takes care of society matters) doesn’t have much to do initially but makes her presence felt in the post-interval scenes. Yukti Randeria (Krupa; beautician) and Heena Jaikishan (Neha; pregnant lady) are lovely. Brinda Trivedi (Sheetal; homemaker who’s a CA) delivers a convincing performance. The same goes for Archan Trivedi. Ojas Raval, Keyur Nandaniya (Shalin) and Annapurna Shukla (Judge Nila Rawal) are decent. Hiten Kumar (Sapan Parekh) is quite good in a cameo. Kaajal Oza Vaidya plays herself and she’s dependable, as always.
Mihir Makwana‘s music fails to entice. But the ‘Stock Market Song’ stands out for its lyrics and concept. Mihir Makwana‘s background score is in sync with the film’s mood.
Vaisakh Manoharan‘s cinematography is appropriate. Chirayu Bodas‘ production design is realistic while Anushree Vaghela‘s costumes are as per the character’s personalities. Harish Anandani‘s editing is slick.
Shreya Jitan Singh‘s story is promising. Shreya Jitan Singh‘s screenplay is peppered with funny, dramatic and emotional moments in ample doses. However, the writing could have been better. Abhinav Vaidya‘s dialogues add to the fun and drama.
Pratik Rajen Kothari‘s direction is quite good and he handles the idea and concept with panache. He also makes sure that the narrative is simple so that it reaches out to a wide section of the audience. The use of text depicting the portfolio amount is classy.
However, Auntypreneur is not without its share of blemishes. The opening scene, though funny, doesn’t make the desired impact. The same happens with the supermarket scene in the beginning. Moreover, the film falters to some extent due to issues in the script. There are times when it feels like the male members of the society are not that concerned about the building demolition. It’s fun to see the protagonist correctly guessing which stocks to buy and even winning a competition, defeating hundreds. But somewhere, it also seems far-fetched. Lastly, the son’s scene in the second half is unconvincing. He’s shown to be ultra-rich; he could have solved the society’s woes instantly! Yet, he doesn’t contribute to the society fund. Maybe, the protagonist would not have wanted him to even pay 5% of the amount as she wanted to stand on her feet. However, a dialogue stating the same should have been there. Another aspect that should have been established is the protagonist realizing that the tenant is tense about her after she participates in the Bet-5 competition. The scene where they bond over alcohol is heartening but it comes across as too sudden.
Thankfully, these are minor issues and on the whole, Auntypreneur shines as a feel-good entertainer, driven by its refreshing concept, heartfelt execution, endearing moments, and a charmingly memorable performance by Supriya Pathak Kapur. It’s a film that leaves you with a smile and is well worth a watch.
My rating – *** out of 5!