Big Brain Productions, Anandi Entertainments and Splendid Productions’ Mumbai Local (Marathi; UA) is a love story with a difference.
A boy, Ashish (Prathamesh Parab), falls in love with a girl, Miss Naigaon (Dnyanada Ramtirthkar), who travels in the same local train everyday as he. He doesn’t even know her name and hence refers to her as Miss Naigaon as she boards the train everyday from Naigaon railway station. Ashish meets with a serious accident on the day he wants to express his love to her without ever having spoken to her. He lands in hospital and his chances of survival are dim. Does Miss Naigaon get to know about Ashish’s love for her? Does she love him? Does Ashish get cured? Do Ashish and Miss Naigaon unite in matrimony?
Abhijeet has written a story which has heartfelt moments but it is class-appealing. Abhijeet’s screenplay becomes grim once he lands in hospital. A couple of scenes (when his mother tearfully asks him to give up on life; when Miss Naigaon comes visiting Ashish in hospital) are very emotional. Other than the few emotional scenes and some dramatic and light ones, the drama progresses at an easy pace and doesn’t offer much novelty. Abhijeet’s dialogues are weighty at places.
Prathamesh Parab does a fair job as Ashish, but the audience would not love him in an out-and-out romantic role because he has the image of a comedy star. Dnyanada Ramtirthkar is okay as Miss Naigaon. Prithvik Pratap is alright as Ashish’s friend, Jeet. Manmeet Prem entertains a bit with his comedy in the role of Ashish’s friend, Darshan. Sanjay Kulkarni leaves a wonderful mark as Ashish’s father. Smita Dongre has her moments as Ashish’s mother. Vinod Shinde is so-so as the manager in the company for which Ashish works. Abhijeet Chavan is quite impressive as police inspector Vinayak Vichare. Aniket Kelkar is average as sub-inspector Kelkar. Vanita Kharat provides ordinary support as Ashish’s paternal aunt, Shobha. Rajkumar Kanojiya (as Pathak), Sanjay Khapre (as the sarpanch) and the rest do as desired.
Abhijeet’s direction is mature but the fact remains that he has made a film with class appeal. Dev-Ashish, Suchir Kulkarni and Harshavardhan Wavare’s music is fair. Lyrics (Abhijeet Kulkarni and Abhijeet) are okay. Rahul Thombre’s choreography is ordinary. Samir Saptiskar’s background music ought to have been better. Yogesh Koli’s camerawork is appealing. Sunil Rodrigues’ stunt scene is thrilling. Dr. Sumeet Patil’s art direction is alright. Swapnil Jadhav’s editing is fairly sharp.
On the whole, Mumbai Local is an ordinary fare which will go largely unnoticed.
Released on 1-8-’25 at Metro Inox (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru Filmastra Studios. Publicity & opening: poor.