Our review and deep scrutiny into how adult Mastram really is as a flick!
Some movies are already hits even before they strike the silver screen. With word of mouth publicity and huge expectations, Mastram came across as one such movie. Touted as a game changer this season, Mastram was marketed as a true blue revelation laced with pornographic touchups. However, the final movie left a lot to imagination and barely lived up to its promos’ promise.
Akhilesh Jaiswal has gone bold in the portrayal of the subject. Sex is rooted deep into Indian minds but the sub consciousness does not let one openly admit to its existence. We all know that the birds and bees are biological yet we prefer to download porn after ensuring the knob is locked doubly. Mastram masquerades its plot with such a premise– one of self discovery through a brilliant understanding of sexual desires. Rajaram, played by Rahul Bagga is a clerk in Manali bored with his sedentary life. Pressed only by his sati savitri wife’s support and his zeal to make it big as an author, Raja chose to write fiction. Only to face rejection and taunts! India’s love for masala in anything, from food to romance is event in his publisher’s demand. Mastram finds himself in an epiphany of oohs and aahs and some sexy smut and turns into Mastram. A series of magazines titled with punny sleaze goes into circulation and the demand ups! That is how the director accounts for the slew of erotic stories one found at bookstalls in Delhi and Northern India back in the eighties.
The plot is based on reality but the portrayal of Mastram is fictional. In fact, the direction is pretty strong in places that make us believe that Rahul is actually the real Mastram whose identity is still under covers. However, the movie suffers from the lack of a plot that is justified by proper performances. Tara Alisha Berry is good in her sexy bits but barely has platform to prove her histrionics prowess.
One thing that the movie does is expose– despite fans being disappointed about the absence of real hot lovemaking scenes; they get to know that Mastram books were a way that their elder cousins might have masturbated.
While it could have gone into the deeper layers of the protagonist’s sexual understanding, it simply flickers around his cravings that are carnally reproduced on the type writer. While the debate about the real identity of Mastram is still on, one recalls that the industry of magazine erotica still thrives. Catch up with any book stall owner in any of the small town railway stops around India and the wo wali kitaab comes pat on the counter.
Warning- The movie is adult only in temperament and promotions. It can barely satiate your mental desire for hard-core fortification! Forgive the language–Mastram leaves one acidic on all counts!
