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After her stepdaughter is sexually assaulted at a party, a furious mother sets out to destroy the lives of the four perpetrators who walked free.
Critic Consensus
Critics received 'Mom' with a broadly positive but mixed response, with most acknowledging it as a worthwhile watch despite notable flaws. Sridevi's performance was near-universally singled out as the film's strongest element, with several reviewers stating she carries the film through its weaker passages. The most common criticisms centered on an over-dramatized and morally questionable second half, a predictable screenplay, and concerns that the revenge narrative sidesteps deeper social commentary in favor of pulp thrills. A handful of critics also noted that the supporting cast is underutilized and that the film's climax is too theatrical for its otherwise intense tone.
28 reviews · 20 positive · 5 mixed
AI-generated summary of 28 critic reviews · may contain errors
Report inaccuracyCritic Reviews (28)
"Not always an easy watch - it isn't meant to be - MOM wields a heavy mallet, but it does so with purpose, precision and panache."Read full review ↗
"Mom is a far from perfect film, but it's never boring. Sridevi's terrific turn makes up for many of the script problems. I'm going with two-and-a-half out of five."Read full review ↗
"Sridevi has to do the heavy-lifting of the film, as actors Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Akshaye Khanna, Sajal Ali and Adnan Siddiqui are not left with enough in hand. It gets so busy keeping Sridevi at the centre-stage that this rape-and-revenge drama turns less impactful."Read full review ↗
"Mom is an important film. Though its theme is nothing new the debutant director ensures a vigorous accountability to almost every scene. You may be tempted to wonder why Mom seems such a special film with almost every shot exuding a freshness and a secret relevance that may or may not be revealed at any point.It's just so reassuring to have Sridevi around. Thank God some things never change. This is one of the best films in recent times. And not only because of Sridevi."Read full review ↗
"'Mom' is like a tale of fiery tigress, who can do anything in order to protect her cub. It's a taut thriller which deserved to be seen."Read full review ↗
"It is one of the best films of 2017. Go watch it for a gripping, and emotionally moving story and some brilliant performances."Read full review ↗
"MOM is an important film for three reasons. 1) - Its testimony that Sridevi is one of the most accomplished actresses alive, 2) Ravi Udyawar is a filmmaker to look out for and last but not the least - it's a salute to motherhood and womanhood. Go take your Moms and daughters along. MOM is an important film for three reasons. 1) - Its testimony that Sridevi is one of the most accomplished actresses alive, 2) Ravi Udyawar is a filmmaker to look out for and last but not the least - it's a salute to motherhood and womanhood. Go take your Moms and daughters along."Read full review ↗
"There's a lot packed in here. To begin with, the film dwells on the dynamics of a teenager's standoffish relationship with her stepmom. This entire track is beautifully handled. Then again, it is post the teenager's abduction and assault when the film reveals its true facet. To say anything more on the actual plot is to risk spoiling its surprises."Read full review ↗
"The biggest problem with the film is that the second half deviates from the dark and delicious themes of the first, to indulge in the revenge drama track. While the situations in the second half are written with perfect logic, they are bit lofty. The action and the suspense approach distracts from the much more powerful story of mother, daughter and a family slowly nursing itself out of tragedy. But that's how it plays out. The crucial moment in the climax though, makes it all worth the while. Mom is quite literally a thrill-a-minute ride. Its scenes are powerful and the best part is, the effort put in by the actors. Director Ravi Udyawar crafts an intense, taut and gratifying thriller. It's a must watch."Read full review ↗
"It's Sridevi's show all the way through. While the devious revenge tactics of Devki is scintillating, the director seems to have lost his grip while nearing the climax."Read full review ↗
"We need more moms like Devaki to protect our daughters in a society which is NOT safe for women and a paradise for rapists."Read full review ↗
"Mom is a must watch because of the powerhouse performer that is Sridevi. Despite the shortcomings, the film keeps you on the edge solely because of her stellar act."Read full review ↗
"Mom is not just a revenge saga. It runs deeper than that and talks about a mother's undying love. The film reminded me of Agatha Christie's famous words, "A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorsely all that stands in its path." In a nutshell, Mom is worth every penny for Sridevi- Nawazuddin's stellar act and Ravi Udyawar's brilliant execution!"Read full review ↗
"...while most thrillers tend to overstay their welcome beyond 90-minutes' screen time, this one doesn't feel almost two-and-half hours long. If anything, far too much is going on here. You might question a lot. But so much of it works."Read full review ↗
"Filled with exact amount of all the elements, Sridevi's this film delivers a perfect movie while handling the subject tactfully. The movie holds the audience attention for 148 minutes while unfolding the truths of the problems faced by women in the society. Give this a thorough watch this weekend."Read full review ↗
"Mom scrutinises and lays bare the gaping holes in the law in this country. Its method of making the criminals meet their fate is over-dramatised and problematic. And unbelievable. But who can say no to a tale of a mother's revenge?"Read full review ↗
"Her performance is a throwback to old-school histrionics and hysterics -- it's classic Sridevi..."Read full review ↗
"To give credit where it's due, Mom does fan the audience's anger against people who indulge in anti-women crimes. However, it never intends to create a full-blown fire that would change the attitude of potential criminals in such situations. Instead, Sridevi takes it upon herself to deliver justice – thereby undermining the authority of law and related machinery. This is where Pink excelled."Read full review ↗
"I don't know if Mom could have been a better film if the writing were tighter. Its pauses had a reason that might not be in line with that of a thriller. I don't know if Mom could have been a better film if the writing at least tried to be unpredictable. What I know is I will look forward to director, Ravi Udyawar's next work. I wouldn't mind watching more films written by him, Girish Kohli or Kona Venkat Rao. I certainly want to watch the next Sridevi film, something that I couldn't imagine saying 25-30 years ago. That is good enough."Read full review ↗
"Despite all my empathy towards victims, a small part of me debated if taking law into your hands is the right thing to do or even promote, in a film. The minor boy who rapes his classmate is also raped in jail. Isn't that tragic too? But Mom is not Pink. It's not a commentary on society's patriarchal mindset or on an immediate need of gender equality. It is an emotional story of a mother getting even with a bunch of criminals."Read full review ↗
"Although the production of the film makes it look grand and fancy, the climax is too dramatic for such an intense film."Read full review ↗
"MOM packs a solid punch and deserves a watch for its gritty content and Sridevi's heroic performance."Read full review ↗
"MOM is a terribly long-drawn out film and even though horrendously cliched and predictable, but worth a watch for Sridevi, who is simply stupendous."Read full review ↗
"Flaws aside, Mom benefits from a good production value that makes it far superior to the Raveena Tandon starrer Maatr. The performances may not be topnotch but they are reasonably good. But ultimately it is a cliché driven film that fails to match its pre-release hype."Read full review ↗
"The emotional pull of the first half and Sridevi's acting excellence notwithstanding, Mom in many ways is as dangerous as the loud, raucous, not-even-pretending-to-be-progressive-about-women commercial Bollywood of the 1970s and 80s."Read full review ↗
"Mom is a strange brew: audience-appeasing thriller, relationship drama and social commentary all rolled into one. To Udyawar's credit, he manages to make it look cohesive, even as he struggles to contend with the moral quagmire of revenge and opts instead for the escape of pulp."Read full review ↗
"Mom is a beautifully written and excellently directed film with landmark performances by its cast. It will appeal to the audience and emerge victorious at the box-office despite its terribly slow start and high cost of production (total investment: Rs. 41 crore). Its word of mouth will be very strong."Read full review ↗
"In her first full-fledged role after the much-loved "English Vinglish" in 2012, she proves that she is the embodiment of the new age Bollywood mother – willing to kill anyone who has wronged her family instead of meekly accepting what life hands out."Read full review ↗
Cast & Crew
Cast
- Sridevi · Devki Sabarwal
- Nawazuddin Siddiqui · Daya Shankar Kapoor aka DK
- Sajal Ali · Arya
- Adnan Siddiqui · Anand
- Akshaye Khanna · Mathew Francis
- Adarsh Gourav · Mohit
- Abhimanyu Singh · Jagan
- Vikas Verma · Charles Diwan
- Pitobash · Baburam
- Joy Badlani · Ravi
- Ivan Rodrigues · School Principal
- Riva Arora · Piyu
- Suparna Moitra · Indu
- Triptii Dimri · Aarya's Classmate
- Boney Kapoor
- Sunil Manchanda
- Naresh Agarwal
- Girish Kohli
- Kona Venkat Rao
- A. R. Rahman
Director
Screenplay
Music
Cinematography
Details
- Release Date
- 7 July 2017
- Runtime
- 147 min
- Language
- Hindi
User Ratings & Reviews
6 ratings from the community
Community Reviews (3)
Over the years, we have heard & read about articles which scream hoarse about the importance of women equality. There is no doubt that it is a fundamental right that is extremely important for the upliftment of the female gender & development of any nation. However, I believe all of this will happen unless the women is given the respect that they deserve as a human being rather than a commodity for gratification. Sadly, we are witness to news about gory rape incidents all across our country every day & though there are rules in place, more often than not our judicial system is found to be woefully short. This is exactly what is depicted in Ravi Udyawar's "Mom" which has Sridevi as the protagonist. But Bollywood has a habit of making such movies pretty cliche & titillating rather than make us empathetic about the victim. Will this be any different??? Devki (Sridevi) is a Biology teacher in a respectable school in Delhi who is popular among her students. But she knew were to draw the line as Mohit, a wayward rich kid realised when she threw his mobile out of the window as punishment for sending a porn clip to her step daughter Arya (Sajal Ali). Even though, Devki adored Arya as her own child; the latter maintained a frosty relation with her. With Valentine's Day just round the corner, Arya sought the permission of her father Anand (Adnan Siddiqui) to attend the most happening party in the city. Though reluctant early on, he eventually agrees after Devki's persuasion. Little did they realise that this party would change their lives forever. The film was helmed by debutant Ravi Udyawar who is relatively well known in the advertising world. Along with Girish Kohli & Venkat Rao, he has scripted a story which is not unfamiliar to any of us due to similarities to real life incidents. Even otherwise as well, it is more or else similar to Raveena Tandon's "Maatr". But it would be fair to admit that this is a superior version of it, in terms of the way it has been shot & the caliber of the leading lady. However, it fails to thrill the audience & except for Sajal, we dont empathize with neither the sequences (except for the court scenes which was brilliant) or the characters. Equally unrealistic was the manner in which the protagonist gets away with the crime. On the technical side, hats off to the Anay Goswami's slick visuals especially the manner in which the rape was picturised until the victim gets disposed. AR Rahman's BGM was brilliant & added to the overall impact. However, I wish Monisha Baldawa was more judicious with the editing. Coming to performances, this is Sridevi's first outing since "English Vinglish" & is her 300th movie in the 50th year of her film career. She carries the movie on her shoulders & brings her A game to the fore, though she hams it up at times. Sajal Ali was excellent along with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who provides the comic relief with his hilarious statements. Akshaye Khanna was wasted while the others have done their parts adequately. Verdict: As expected, it is unlikely to create a rush at the box office due to the genre & grim nature of the subject. When it comes to the thread, it wont come across as anything unique but the manner in which it has been shot coupled with credible performances makes it worth watching. In short, it's definitely worth a try!!! Rating: 3/5 Regards...Ben
Sridevi, nawaz nd akshay khanna tie up the time with a fabulous acting. This is about how a 'mam' Becoming an 'mom' beautiful story go watch it.
'Mom' was easily a great leap for the career of Sridevi, who played a killer with originality and a mother with much-needed vulnerability. But the script sags a lot and there's not much believability in the screenplay, a stage has been set for most of the problems. The problem is that despite you are hooked to the screens thanks to its actress and an engaging plot premise, you'd never feel her reasons: and that's largely because the film has an inconsistent tonality, and waferthin ideas are camped upon by the filmmakers about the briskness of a thriller.



























