Nakshatra 27 Productions’ Masoom Sawaal is the story about menstruation and the age-old beliefs surrounding the touchy topic. A teenager, Niyati (Nitanshi Goel), gets her periods for the first time. Her mother and grandmother, Prabha Shukla (Brinda Trivedi Nayak) and Lalita Devi (Madhu Sachdeva) respectively, put restrictions on her movements during the crucial five-six days, but she is unable to understand the logic behind the conditions. Since she treats Ladoo Gopal (Lord Krishna) as her brother, the restrictions of not entering the temple in her house and not sleeping with the idol of Lord Krishna, as she had been doing for years, gets to her. Driven to frustration, she writes to a judge (Shishir Sharma), asking him to explain to her mother and grandmother the irrationality behind their behaviour. Her school principal, Anita Singh (Ekavali Khanna), and teacher (Gargi Banerjee) support Niyati because, like her, they go by logic instead of superstition and unscientific beliefs. What happens in court?
Santosh Upadhyay’s story moves on a single track and, therefore, gets boring to the hilt, that too, pretty fast. Besides, the topic itself is not something people may be comfortable watching a drama based on it, unfold. Kamlesh K. Mishra’s screenplay is so slow-paced that it tests the audience’s patience. Niyati’s insistence on not understanding what her mother and grandmother want her to do, and her logic keep getting repeated so many times — and in the same way each time — that the viewers almost die of boredom. Even the courtroom drama doesn’t offer a welcome relief because no new points are made but rather the same points are presented in a different and more elaborate manner. Kamlesh K. Mishra’s dialogues are ordinary.
Nitanshi Goel is natural in the role of Niyati. As her mother, Brinda Trivedi Nayak is so-so. In the role of Niyati’s grandmother, Madhu Sachdeva leaves an impact. Rohit Tiwari does a fine job as Sanjay Shukla, father of Niyati. Ekavali Khanna is impressive as Niyati’s school principal. Shishir Sharma delivers a very mature performance as the judge. Gargi Banerjee is good as Niyati’s school teacher. Ramji Bali (as lawyer Malay Sinha), Shashie Verma (as Pandit Ramdutt Chaturvedi), Manvi Saraswat (as Neha teacher), Anju Gaur (as Niyati’s paternal aunt, Kavita), Mannat Duggal (as the 10-year-old Niyati), Moha Chaudhary (as the 5-year-old Niyati) and Devanshi Mishra (as the 2-year-old Niyati) lend ordinary support. Others pass muster.
Santosh Upadhyay’s direction is barely average. He has made a film which looks more like a boring commentary on menstruation rather than an entertaining film. Even message-oriented films can be entertaining. Bapi Bhattacharya’s music is functional. Chandra Prakash Giri and Santosh Upadhyay’s lyrics are okay. Bapi Bhattacharya’s background music is routine. Deopriy Agarwal’s camerawork is average. Govind Gupta’s production designing is nothing to shout about. Radhey Lalsa’s editing hardly deserves separate mention.
On the whole, Masoom Sawaal is a dull, dry and drab drama with no commercial prospects.
Released on 5-8-’22 at Movie Time Goregaon (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay by Nakshatra 27 Productions. Publicity & opening: poor. …….Also released all over. Opening was weak everywhere.