Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway: The Story of a Resilient Mother

Gone are the days when Bollywood films were dominated by “heroes”. Today, female stars have evolved. They no longer portray the role of an abla naari on screen. Instead, directors are portraying them as strong women of substance. They are women who stand up against discrimination and fight for their rights. Thappad, Kahaani and English Vinglish are a few films that were led by female protagonists. Someone rightly said “kudiyon ka hai zamana”.

Last weekend, I caught Rani Mukerji’s recent film, Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway (MCVN) in a theatre near me, and I’m so glad I watched it. Honestly, I’m done with masala drama and action-packed films. I’ve realised that I enjoy watching films that are backed by a quality script. MCVN is one such cinematic masterpiece directed by Ashima Chibber, that deserves all your attention. It’s entertaining yet thought-provoking. Also, not to forget it’s based on a real-life incident. It left such an imprint on me that I couldn’t help but shed a few tears towards the end of the film.

Image Source - https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/mrs-chatterjee-vs-norway-trailer-rani-mukerji-fights-a-nation-for-her-children-101677131007892.html 

P.S.: Spoilers Ahead!

The Plot

The plot of the film is inspired by the controversial 2011 true story of an Indian couple whose children were snatched away by the Norwegian Child Welfare Services. Rani (Debika Chatterjee) essays the role of an Indian immigrant, Sagarika Chakraborty. At first sight, Debika is shown as a typical Bengali woman of a Bengali household. Whether it’s wearing a Jamdani saree or following a conch-blowing ritual, there’s nothing which can take Debika back from her roots. She might be in a faraway country but her parenting style is predominantly Indian. From feeding her children by hand to applying a black dot to protect them from the evil eye, Debika does these things in the best of their interest. Little did she know that she was being watched and evaluated, and one day her mannerisms would deem her as an “unfit” mother. Throughout the film, as she battles the custody of her children, she is seen shrieking, wailing, crying and thrashing. As an audience, you do feel empathetic. Unfortunately, her husband, in-laws and the Norwegian government declare her mentally unstable.  

Though the film is a true story of a resilient mother, it tackles so many different subjects such as child trafficking scams, feminism issues, domestic violence, abuse, cultural differences and women empowerment.

Though the names of the characters are fictitious, every other detail shown in the film is 100% true. It literally sent shudders down my spine to imagine something like this actually happened in real life. What kind of a country does this? Which law has the right to decide the bond between a mother and a child?

Image Source - shethepeople

Character Sketch

While Debika is a strong and complex lead, her husband on the other hand is initially shown as a humble and cultured human, and loving husband. When tragedy strikes the Chatterjee household, her husband, Anirudh begins to show his true colours and unravels the demon inside him. All he cares about is his citizenship. In multiple scenes, he is even seen putting his wife down. Towards the end of the film, it is even revealed that Debika is a victim of physical abuse.

It is sad that even in today’s day and age, women are made to believe that abuse is a private matter. Well, any kind of abuse, be it physical or emotional, needs to be voiced out. Sadly, when women speak up, they again become victims of name-calling. When will this mentality change? In one scene in the film, when Anirudh is called out by the Child Welfare Service for not helping with household chores, it hurts his ego so much that he starts banging doors and raising his voice with Debika. He says “should I wear bangles and sit at home”. He believes that he is doing his job by supporting his family financially. This is an age-old patriarchal and misogynist problem. It’s high time we do away with such stereotypes.

In another instance, when Debika’s in-laws visit from Kolkata, they demean her publicly and call her a bad mother. In one scene, her mother-in-law even condemns her act of eating before her husband. Anirudh, his parents and his brother are seriously not the nicest people.

In the remainder of the film, Debika is harassed by Norway and Indian authorities. Despite all the failures, her stand remains the same, and that’s what touches the heart of the audience. Her relentless fight as a mother to get back the custody of her children is worth applauding. Nothing deters her fearless spirit. She is a strong woman and mother who is ready to face any legal battle.

Image Source - https://variety.com/2023/film/global/rani-mukerji-mrs-chatterjee-vs-norway-trailer-1235532184/ 

The Verdict

Unarguably, this is Rani’s best performance in a film after a very long time. Her character is extremely nuanced and that’s what truly strikes a chord. Though the film has its own flaws, I would highly recommend it as it highlights several strong topics that are prevalent even today due to widespread immigration. Besides being a women-centric film, Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway even throws light on how other countries still continue to regard India as a third-world nation based on what they see in the media.

Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway is an extremely important film about Sagarika Chakraborty whose story deserved to be told.

If you’ve already watched the film, we’d love to know your views in the comments section below.