‘Mera Fauji Calling’ movie review: Bidita Bag-starrer makes a decent impact

'Mera Fauji Calling' features Sharman Joshi in a key role

Cast: Bidita Bag, Sharman Joshi and Zarina Wahab

Director: Aaryaan Saxena

Rating: 2.5/5

Actor Bidita Bag’s latest movie Mera Fauji Calling is a sincere attempt at storytelling that makes an okayish impact despite its flaws. The film revolves around the challenges faced by an Army wife following a personal tragedy. The storyline deals with a sensitive issue but never reaches its potential as the execution is not as good as expected.

Mera Fauji Calling has an unimpressive first half that is as unengaging as anything can be. The narrative initially moves at its own pace, making it difficult for viewers to connect with the reel action. Most of the big moments/twists fail to strike a chord as they are simply too predictable.

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Mera Fauji Calling redeems itself after the intermission as the second half is much better than the first one. The dynamics between the characters add depth to the narrative and do a fair job of salvaging the film. The scenes between Sharman Joshi and his ‘daughter’ hit the right notes with their emotional intensity. The sequences focusing on the fauji’s personal life too have been executed with a degree of competence. The equation between Sharman and Bidita goes a long way in keeping fans hooked. The climax does justice to the buildup, which is considered to be one of the pillars of good storytelling.

Bidita is the focus of the film and adds life to a one-dimensional character. The child actor, who plays her daughter, is a potential star in the making. Her innocent looks are a highlight of Mera Fauji Calling. Sharman makes his presence felt despite not being the star of the movie. He does justice to the emotional sequences and makes Mera Fauji Calling a lot more watchable. Zarina Wahab is burdened with a generic character. The rest of the cast is strictly okay.

The songs gel with narrative and have a situational appeal. Papa is arguably the pick of the lot as it has simple yet effective lyrics. The background score fails to elevate the narrative. The editing is not upto the mark as several sequences, especially in the first half, drag. The other technical aspects have been handled with a certain degree of competence