Sex comedies, when done right, can be worth the hype.
Unfortunately, Indian cinema does not have a great track record in that regard.
Most Bollywood films just go overboard and use crass humour for cheap laughs, much of which doesn’t even make sense. These movies are pandering to a certain mentality at best and make for a travesty at worst.
Does Mumbai Matinee break this track record and give its viewers something fresh and offbeat? Here’s our take…
Mumbai Matinee — Review at a Glance
- Story: 4/5
- Acting: 3.5/5
- Direction: 3/5
- Music: 3/5
Must Watch: Not exactly…
One-Time Watch: Yes
Mumbai Matinee Review — A Deep Dive
The film is so refreshingly unapologetic about sex and its implications in a society like India’s. It features a whole array of characters and viewpoints — from an old uncle to a gay sex worker — to tackle the spectrum of sexuality. However, it is the virgin, Debu, who takes centre stage.
Unlike most Indian sex comedies that are crass and overtly sexual without the story needing it, Mumbai Matinee is a breath of fresh air.
Sure. It does have the token “sexy lady” character that you’ll find in Indian films, and her presence definitely feels a bit forced, alongside the fact that a few other cliches of the genre have been sprinkled throughout the film. But there’s more to the story than just quasi-fan service.
Debu sets out on a journey to finally have sex after 32 years of being alive, and he really doesn’t know what he is getting himself into when he comes across Baba Hindustani and film producer Nitin Kapoor.
The interactions between these three characters are very funny and well-scripted. Plus, the casting of Rahul Bose, Vijay Raaz, and Saurabh Shukla — with support from Asrani, himself a legend in Hindi cinema — is pure genius.
The music isn’t really anything to write home about, but that’s okay.
Somehow, Mumbai Matinee also feels like a time capsule that takes you back to the Bombay of the early 2000s, be it in terms of ideologies or technologies. I must confess, in one of the early scenes, Asrani swipes a card on paper with some machine which I swear I have never seen (and I suppose this is indicative of my millennial existence).
The dynamic in Mumbai Matinee is very interesting because, as the audience, you are likely to be quite aware of the potential fraud and pitfalls of the journey Debu is about to embark on. However, the film will reward you with its unconventional story despite relying on a few generic tropes.
Honestly, this is probably the only Indian sex comedy I have seen that doesn’t make me want to shoot my brains out. It’s quite enjoyable and will make for a fun watch anytime.
Having said that, I do wish there was more focus on overall character development. While Debu, the Baba, and Nitin are interesting, it sometimes feels like the films jump from one scene to the other without a proper segue.
All in all, Mumbai Matinee has a very interesting story, but it could have been executed better. It does have some quirkiness — such as using Star Wars references for vague sexual analogies — but it definitely feels like this film had some potential left untapped.
Mumbai Matinee Plot Overview
Set in the bustling city of Mumbai, the movie follows the story of the virgin Debu, a shy and introverted man in his thirties who works as a copywriter in an advertising agency. Debu leads a mundane life, devoid of any excitement or romance.
But all of this changes when he meets Baba Hindustani, and by a stroke of fate, Debu ends up becoming a sex icon. How he deals with the fallout of all this is what forms the rest of the plot.
Mumbai Matinee Cast Details
- Rahul Bose: Debu
- Perizaad Zorabian: Sonali Verma
- Vijay Raaz: Baba Hindustani
- Saurabh Shukla: Nitin Kapoor
