Wonder Women: A slice-of-life with sharp social commentary

Tanisha Saxena

Lately, SonyLiv has been bringing forth out-of-the-box thought and outstanding content. Undoubtedly, Wonder Women is just another wonder, which will be premiered today on Sony LIV.

Produced by RSVP Flying Unicorn Entertainment along with Little Films Productions, Wonder Women offers us a glimpse into the lives of six ordinary women who are pregnant. They arrive at a prenatal class ‘Sumana’ with a mixed bag of emotions. ‘Sumana’ translates into flower or good-hearted and indeed the film is about these delicate good hearts waiting for the blossoming of the flower. There’s confusion, anxiety, lingering hope,  and questions about pregnancy and childbirth. And it is in the very process of finding solutions to their problems that these women discover their identities.

Nandita (Nadiya Moidu), who runs Sumana proudly calls these women ‘Real superheroes’ as they get ready to embrace motherhood. What this film broadly talks about is the notion of sisterhood. It is nearly impossible to tackle the problems of life all alone. Nora (played by Nithya Menen), Mini (played by Parvathy Thiruvothu), Veni (played by Padmapriya Janakiraman), Saya (played by Sayanora Philip), Gracy (played by Archana Padmini), and Jaya ( played by Amruta Subhash)- these six pregnant women hail from different socio-cultural background. As the film unfurls we see these poles apart personalities getting along well with each other all the while understanding pregnancy and childbirth.

Nandita pushes this newfound friendship to grow as they all have met at this beautiful juncture of their lives.The film is set in the backdrop of Kerala but the highlight is not the scenic beauty of the state but the humble abode of Nandita where the film is shot. It starts with Jaya’s problem understanding Malayalam as she is Maharashtrian. In no time the issue of language turns into a heated debate. However, when Jaya says, I will try to manage it, is actually when things calm down.

Further, Nandita asks the ladies how many of us can be assertive and find solutions to our problems. It is very interesting actually to note how beautifully and seamlessly these little things that are otherwise too broad in concept have been woven into the fabric of the film. These women have different problems and mental stress. For instance, the cliche idea that a woman’s life is incomplete without a child; the dilemma of a single mother; embracing motherhood without marriage in society; conceiving in an older age group; the responsibility of men who will also go to embrace fatherhood, and so on.

The writer Anjali Menon has beautifully crafted the story around these wonderful women and their struggles at this crucial juncture of their lives. As they navigate the pregnancy period together in Sumana they realise how this bond created over the weeks has become a coping mechanism for each of them. They laugh, cry and share so much as they are going to embark on a beautiful ride. Womanhood and motherhood have been translated into celluloid many a time, but, what sets this particular film apart is the characters.

Bringing forth an amazing cast is Menon’s superpower in the film. It will be unfair to point out one particular character as the protagonist as everyone is equally crucial. Anjali Menon’s remarkable works like Bangalore Days and Koode are already benchmarks in the world of films. She has carefully plucked in the characters that are well thought out. It is not that the film highlights the problems of women but it also meticulously points out the dilemma of men with different assumptions and anxiety. The narration keeps it very well-balanced.

The screenplay by Menon immerses you directly into the world of these six expectant and their life challenges. Their day-to-day experience will easily resonate with audiences while also being encouraging. Although there are times when the pace is fast, still it never becomes problematic to track down.The climax isn’t that hard to guess but it surely gives you a sense of relief. The warmth and empathy that the film has in each frame are commendable. Each scene is filled with so much compassion which is indeed the offscreen bond of these wonderful women.

Manesh Madhavan’s cinematography is applaudable as the close-ups shots of the cradle being prepared on the last day of the ladies at Sumana and the entire setup appear enticing. The other minor details are well-presented. The saga of these wonder women is filmed in English with touches of Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada.

The song Naina Jharoke is an absolutely melodious number from the composition of Govind Vasantha which blended everything beautifully. The main vocals are led by Keerthana Vaidyanathan, and Govind Vasantha and the beautiful chorus is sung by Soundarya Bala Nandakumar, Lavita Lobo, and Aparna Harikumar.  

In a nutshell, Anjali Menon’s thought of telling a tale of sisterhood through multiple characters from varied backgrounds has been delivered wonderfully. The film offers a unique concept and fresh narrative to the audience, which definitely captures our hearts.
Rating: 4/5