'Mili' Movie Review: Survival of the ‘chill’est

A still from Mili

Mili
U/A: Mystery
Dir: Mathukutty Xavier
Cast: Janhvi Kapoor, Manoj Pahwa
Rating: 3.5/5

Satisfying survival thrillers befriend the sadist and empath in us. We want to see the protagonist engulfed in a nightmare only to enjoy the pay-off of him/her breaking free. This is what Janhvi Kapoor's Mili does. The Mathukutty Xavier-directorial, an official remake of the 2019 acclaimed Malayalam thriller Helen, transports you from the cozy theatre to a cold-storage facility where your chances of survival reduces with every drop in the temperature.

Mili Naudiyal is a nursing graduate student from Dehradun, set to move to Canada with her father (Manoj Pahwa), who is also her best friend. Due to lack of opportunities in the nursing field, she opts to work at a restaurant to tackle expenses. Mili's present is not dreary, but she aspires for a better lifestyle. However, an accident puts her survival skills to test making her future look rather non-existent.

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The film beautifully captures the intimate world of Mili focusing on her doting father, and an affectionate but immature partner (Sunny Kaushal). It raises the stakes when she is struggling to survive in the freezer - chilling battle that breaks her foot and tears her skin. The ice-cold threat seems more daunting as it plays up against a seemingly fragile girl. This is also where Kapoor's ability to epitomise vulnerability on screen comes handy. The actor, who has grown by leaps and bounds with Mili, lends her real life social awkwardness and earnestness to the character. The night in the freezer requires Mili to channel her resolute will to survive even when the odds are below minus 15 degrees. With no dialogues at her disposal, Kapoor uses her facial expressions and body language to convey Mili's fear and fight.

This adaptation is not only a story of survival, but is also a father-daughter tale at its heart. Pahwa brings his experience and brilliance to play Naudiyal, often oscillating between an aging father and a notorious child. Other supporting characters (Jackie Shroff in a special cameo) elevate the film with quirks and reliable performances.

Xavier has delivered as much a taut, chilling thriller as a humane story of hope that warms your heart.