India is known for it’s huge population as well as it’s culture and traditions which are centuries old. A few decades back western countries adopted population control methods which resulted in many childless couples. But over the years it backfired and due to limited population those countries did not have enough human workforce and had to import it. The governments, especially in the European union started urging people to produce kids, as many as possible, to build the nation’s future work force. In the meanwhile majority of European couples, including Norwegian, were adopting children from under developed countries including India. It is alleged that the authorities started taking away young children under the pretext of bad parenting and in the garb of foster parenting, giving those children to local parents who did not have any kids. It was kind of a huge money making racket run unofficially which included, police, judicial system and lawyers. The film Mrs Chatterjee v/s Norway is the film that talks strongly about these issues. The movie is based on the real incidents and the Indian mother who went through this ordeal is now stays in India with her children whose custody she received after three years and after a long legal battle in Norway and India.
Debika (Rani Mukherjee) migrates to Norway after marrying Mr Chatterjee (Anirban Bhattacharya). She has two kids, a five years old Shubh and about five months old Suchi, who are her world. Any mother’s world revolves around their children, especially Indian mothers’, and Mrs Chatterjee is no exception. Her husbands’ immigration papers are under process and he is keen to settle down in Norway, which gets underlined in the initial part of the movie. Mrs Chatterjee is a typical Indian mother, feeding children with hands and a bit clumsy in handling their affairs. As per the Norwegian Government all immigrant parents are put under scrutiny and two personnel from the Children’s Welfare Department visit Chatterjees. Their job is to make a report whether the parents are taking care of their children as laid down procedures by the local authorities. They submit a negative report and Chatterjee family’s kids are taken away for foster parenting. Debika gets shattered and runs from pillar to post to get her children back. But the nexus between the government authorities and lawyers deny her rights for children’s custody. Her husband doesn’t want to rub the authorities the wrong way so resultantly it becomes Mrs Chatterjee’s lone battle against Norway government authorities. What transpires during and in between her legal fight forms the crux of the story.
The story of Mrs Chatterjee v/s Norway is inspired by true events and without taking much cinematic liberties director Ashima Chhibber presents this heart wrenching story with enough sincerity and passion. It is based on Sagarika Chakraborty’s fight against Norway’s childcare system, which shook the entire nation. Her plight and injustice, as well as the cultural intolerance she faced, compelled India’s Foreign Ministry to join her in the custody battle. The film depicts how she fought not only for her children, but also for her ethnicity and the integrity of her country. The writing is good and some hard hitting facts about Norway are depicted without any fear. Kudos to the writer and the director Ashima. Ashima’s storytelling centers on motherhood and its challenges. It demonstrates how society’s perception of the ideal mother varies by region and can sometimes cause problems due to cultural differences in today’s world of widespread immigration.
The production values are high and it’s beautifully picturised. The first half is little over the top but the second half is gripping. Music is good too. Rani Mukherjee excels in the portrayal of Debika Chatterjee. She owns every frame and with wide range of emotions she elevates the authenticity of the film. She should have toned down melodrama in the first half. But she beautifully brings out the mother’s agony. Anirban Bhattacharya is good. Jim Sarah as Mrs Chatterjee’s lawyer and later representing Norway, excels in his presentation and a cameo by Neena Gupta as a Politician/Sushama Swaraj is cute.
A tear jerking drama, Mrs Chatterjee v/s Norway, entertains too.
***1/2
Keerti Kadam.
