Anand Pandit Motion Pictures and Goosebumps Entertainment’s Baap Manus (Marathi) is a story about the strong bond between a father and his daughter.
Shreyas (Pushkar Jog) lives in London with his wife, Asmita (Shweta Patil), who passes away after giving birth to a child. Shreyas’ mother-in-law (Shubhangi Gokhale), who lives in Scotland, wants to take away the child with her so that she can be raised with her. But Shreyas insists on looking after her himself. Sakshi, the wife of Shreyas’ friend, Madhav (Kushal Badrike), helps Shreyas by looking after the daughter when Shreyas is away at work. Months and a few years pass by. The daughter, Cookie (Keya Ingle), has grown up and is ready to be admitted in school. The bonding between Shreyas and Cookie is wonderful.
Sakshi’s friend, Krisha (Anusha Dandekar), is a divorcee who has relocated from the US to London. She often comes visiting Sakshi and develops a nice bond of friendship with Cookie. By the by, Shreyas also starts liking Krisha and, one day, even professes his love for her but stops short of kissing her because he feels, Cookie would stand neglected if he were to start his love story. Shreyas’ mother-in-law warns him of getting romantically involved with Krisha and even volunteers to take away Cookie with her if he wanted to marry Krisha.
Soon, Shreyas loses his job and even though Krisha is willing to pitch in, Shreyas refuses to seek her help. Soon, Shreyas gets a new job which would entail him to stay out of London for a year. He leaves Cookie with his mother-in-law and goes to the airport. But before he can board the flight, Shreyas’ mother-in-law telephones him to say that Cookie was missing. What happens thereafter?
Is Cookie found? Where? Does Shreyas leave London for a year? Does Shreyas marry Krisha?
Emeara has written a story and screenplay, which have some emotions but they are often predictable. The bonding and the emotions between father and daughter do touch the heart but they aren’t of the kind that will make the audience weep at many places. Besides, there’s no novelty in the subject. There are some fine light moments, but there should’ve been far more of them. Emeara’s dialogues are alright. But they aren’t absolutely heart-touching.
Pushkar Jog performs ably as Shreyas. Keya Ingle is good in the role of Cookie. Anusha Dandekar is fair as Krisha. Kushal Badrike lends reasonable support as Shreyas’ friend, Madhav. Shubhangi Gokhale makes her mark as Shreyas’ mother-in-law. Shweta Patil (as Shreyas’ wife, Asmita), Mahesh Patwardhan, Sujata Gothoskar, Ashwini Kinhikar and the others lend routine support.
Yogesh Phulphagar’s direction is alright. Having said that, it must be added that he has not been able to make an emotional and heartwarming father-daughter drama. Rohan-Rohan’s music comprises just one song; it is fairly nice. Valay Mulgund’s lyrics are okay. Amogh Inamdar and Tanmay Bhide’s background music is alright. Sopan Purandhare’s cinematography is good. Shruti Arvind Haldipur’s art direction is okay. Bhushan Sahasrabudhe’s editing ought to have been tighter.
On the whole, Baap Manus may be a fair entertainer but its commercial chances are bleak because it is not a tear-jerker and it lacks novelty.
Released on 1-9-’23 at Gem (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru White Lion Entertainment. Publicity & opening: poor.