Mili

This extraordinary, heart-warming/breaking film is about a young vibrant girl named Mili. Mili is a very bubbly, vivacious, outgoing girl and a very big prankster as well. She spreads happiness with her positive attitude and is popular with everyone, from her own family to the entire neighbourhood, but the one whose life she particularly manages to light is a new neighbour named Shekhar. Shekhar is an alcoholic and lonely young man who's been a victim of society, and gradually he develops a great friendship with Mili. She makes him look at life differently, and the two fall in love. But he does not know that Mili is terminally ill and her days are counted.

A poignant and brilliantly told story, Mili can be easily ranked among the greatest realistic tearjerkers of its times. Mukherjee's direction is splendid. He manages to make this picture totally convincing and memorable in his own inimitable way. The film is not a tragedy, it is a very melancholic, yet very bright, pleasant and thoroughly optimistic piece. No filmmaker would have been able to make this film as beautifully as Mukherjee did. The narrative style is very identified with his craft and unique storytelling - like in most of his films, the script, involving common and ordinary people and following their lives during certain periods, is amazingly simple and realistic, yet the emotional impact is powerful and very effective.

Mili belongs to Jaya Bhaduri. A naturally gifted actress, she is compelling, funny and moving throughout the entire film and makes her character Mili hauntingly admirable, lovable and memorable. Amitabh Bachchan is brilliant as Shekhar. He is restrained, natural and good-looking. Ashok Kumar is unsurprisingly outstanding as Mili's loving, helpless and suffering father. Aruna Irani makes an impact in a smaller role. The film is not too long, it does not go over the top and the emotions are never overblown. It is simple, interesting, engaging and very moving. It is filled with gentle comedy, superb music and many great moments, and was evidently made with a lot of graciousness and sincerity. That's what makes a classic.

Watching 'Mili' is like watching someone you know or watching you yourself on screen. The movie is that real and immensely ordinary that it is like rewinding a slice of life that is so familiar to us. Rajeesh Pillai does not try to make this familiar piece of life into something unfamiliar or thrilling. The reality captured is very refreshing indeed.

Review By Kamal K

Must watch kind movie & extraordinary performance by Amitabh Bachchan. Actually its a heroine oriented film but surprise element was powerful intense performance by Amitabh Bachchan, Ashok Kumar asusually performed very well. Great love story with effective storyline.

A tragedy so beautiful that it makes you fall in love with life.. Life is just about people you are around and the perspective.. Beautifully acted.. Jaya Bachchan so fresh and Mr. Amitabh Bachchan well he is at his best..

This is a superb performance by Amitabh and Jaya, no doubt extracted by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Throughout the film, you actually go thru the helplessness, the passim that the protagonist, Shekhar feels. First when he is a hapless morose who finds it difficult to even communicate with the outside world. And then just when he sees rays of hope, when he falls in love with Mili, he is shattered knowing that the one person who has bought love and a cause for him to live, will be leaving him forever. The ending sequence and how Shekhar(Amitabh) then reacts to the fact that Mili would leave him has been portrayed very well.

See this film to appreciate the genius of Mukherjee's story telling ability (the film starts with a flashback). Amitabh's, Jaya's and Ashok Kumars performances are classy. You don't get to see many such movies made today. Mili is already a classic.