Mast Mein Rehne Ka follows the story of a chain of events unfolding following a robbery that takes place, post which the characters from different walks of life reflect on life in a new way, amidst the loneliness in the city of Mumbai. The story here is essentially in the slice of life genre that provides a sneak peek into the lives of different characters with philosophical undertones that contributes towards a bittersweet tale on loneliness while also providing a fitting ode to the city of Mumbai. The screenplay standing at a shade above 2 hours does make for a heartfelt watch while also lacing it with bouts of darkness that paints an accurate representation of the lives of people in Mumbai. At times there is poverty, at times there is loneliness, at times there is both!

The drama opens with the introduction of one of the four protagonists, a 70 odd year old loner who follows a routine to life while having no one to talk to in the entire city. Elsewhere, you are introduced to a young man, a tailor by profession, who resorts to robbing people after he finds it hard to survive in the city. And while he stumbles into a young beggar with whom he forms an unlikely bond, the writers also introduce a fourth character, an elderly woman who makes her way to the city from Canada. The lives of all these character intertwine after one of them commits a robbery leading to a series of events that follow. In all of the chaos, the fifth protagonist, the character of Mumbai is beautifully represented through frames that exude of stillness and calmness, much in contrast to the vibe of the city.

Now, I must admit that the title of the film lead me to believe that this might be a comedy of errors staged in Mumbai. As a result, I wasn’t prepared for the emotional quotient that the writers brought to the table, most of which was beautiful and in reminiscence of the vibe of the city. How often do we see a stranger entering our lives to totally rejuvinate us. The budding bonds between the protagonists along with the character dynamics is what shapes up the drama which is essentially character driven. The only conflicts which are used as an undercurrent are poverty and loneliness, both of which also represent the lives of the characters in the film. I also liked how the hierarchy of the city was well represented. For instance, a goon who would often showcase his authority on a few characters was ordered around at a household where he worked as a server/helper. All of this is wonderfully packaged in a drama which is bittersweet in many ways.

The drama does get a little murky in the transition phase from the second act to the third with a few scenes that did seem a little out of place. For instance, the old couple breaking into flats to enjoy their ‘me time’ didn’t quite sit well with me. But what worked even in this phase was the conversations and contrasting emotions in play. In a scene you see the robber and the owner face to face with each other, but both have broken into another person’s house. There is an after taste of dark humour to the proceedings that leads to an emotional final act that will put a smile on your face with a little tear in your eye. The screenplay is niche and very different, perhaps in a similar mould of Tu Hai Mera Sunday but a little darker in its treatment. But overall, I enjoyed the writing a lot and it had a certain freshness to it.