Mere Pyare Prime Minister Explained

Mere Pyare Prime Minister
Director:Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Producer:Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
P.S. Bharathi
Navmeet Singh
Rajiv Tandon
Arpit Vyas
Starring:Anjali Patil
Om Kanojiya
Atul Kulkarni
Makrand Deshpande
Music:Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy
Editing:Meghna Manchanda Sen
Cinematography:Pawel Dyllus
Studio:ROMP Pictures
Aham Brahmasmi Entertainment
PVR Cinemas
Distributor:Pen India Limited
Runtime:104 minutes
Country:India
Language:Hindi
Gross: 03.9 million[1]

Mere Pyare Prime Minister is a 2018[2] Indian Hindi-language social-drama film directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.[3] It stars Anjali Patil, Om Kanojiya, Atul Kulkarni, Makrand Deshpande, Niteesh Wadhwa and Rasika Agashe.[4] [5] [6] The film follows an eight-year-old boy who decides to write a letter to the Prime Minister of India after his mother is raped.[7] The film brings into focus the issues of defecation in open and sanitation problems faced in slums.[8] It was the only Asian film which was screened at the Rome Film Festival.[9] [10] [11] [12] [13] The film was released on 15 March 2019 in theatres.[14]

Plot

The story revolves around the film's eight-year-old protagonist, Kannu (Kanojia), who lives in a slum and dreams of building a toilet for his mother. After his mother Sargam (Patil) is raped when she goes out in the night to defecate in the open, Kannu takes charge of improving the conditions in the slum.

In his quest to build a toilet, Kannu writes a letter to the prime minister and travels to New Delhi from Mumbai with his comrades Ringtone (Bharti) and Nirala (Prasad). The fourth member of their gang Mangla (Syna Anand) is providing support to the family back in Mumbai. After they give their letter to the office in Delhi, they return to Mumbai where Sargam is very worried for Kannu. When defecating near the pipes, Kannu mistakenly falls in the water and his friend, Ringtone jumps in to save him. Sargam comes to find Kannnu and Ringtone unharmed. The Toilet is eventually built but a public toilet not a private one but Kannu is still grateful that it was at least built. The slum residents all come to celebrate the toilet being built and inaugurate it.

Cast

Production

Development

The director of the film, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has made films on stories based on Delhi. This time he based the story of his film, Mere Pyare Prime Minister, on the life of people in slums of Mumbai. Mehra said, "The subject has been simmering on a slow fire for three years. I'm a Delhi boy and all my films – Rang De Basanti, Delhi 6, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Mirzya – were all set in the North. But I've been living in Mumbai since 1988 and seen it transform into a world city. The buildings are taller now but there are still slums around them that have always intrigued me and made me follow the path of Salaam Bombay, Slumdog Millionaire and other stories which have grown out of them." He noted the film was not so much about comparisons as a story of people and relationships.[7]

Casting

National award-winning actress Anjali Patil was selected to play mother of the child protagonist around whom the film revolves. Three kids living in the slums were selected to play role of his friends.[15] [5] [16]

Filming

The principal photography began in May 2017.[15]

Soundtrack

Mere Pyare Prime Minister
Type:Soundtrack
Artist:Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy
Released:14 March 2019
Recorded:2017–18
Genre:Feature Film Soundtrack
Length:18:18
Label:Sony Music India
Saregama Music (Baja Baja Dhol Baja)
Language:Hindi

The film's music is composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy and lyrics written by Gulzar.

Release

The film was released in India on 15 March 2019.

Home media

The film became available as VOD on Netflix on 30 May 2019.[17]

Reception

Critical review:

Rajen Sen of Hindustan Times gave Mere Pyare Prime Minister three stars out of five, calling it 'an earnest fairy-tale, modest but far from memorable'.[18]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Merey Pyarey Prime Minister box office collection till now . . 15 March 2019 . 23 March 2019.
  2. News: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's 'Mere Pyare Prime Minister' to release on 15th March 2019 . 25 January 2019 . . 26 March 2019.
  3. News: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's 'Mere Pyare Prime Minister' first poster released . Business Standard India . 8 February 2019 . . 8 February 2019.
  4. Web site: Mere Pyare Prime Minister trailer: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's film looks promising . 10 February 2019 . . 10 February 2019.
  5. Web site: Mere Pyare Prime Minister's poster highlights eight-year-old Kanhu's dream for his mother . 9 February 2019 . . 9 February 2019.
  6. Web site: A closer look at 'The Rebels of Sonchiriya'; Mere Pyare Prime Minister . 8 February 2019 . . 8 February 2019.
  7. Web site: Mere Pyare Prime Minister – A boy travels from a Mumbai slum to Delhi to right a wrong . 10 February 2019 . Scroll.in . 10 February 2019.
  8. Web site: Rakeysh Mehra's film tells a big message through a little boy . . 10 February 2019.
  9. Web site: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Mere Pyare Prime Minister only Asian film to be screened at Rome Film Festival . 27 October 2018 . . 27 October 2018.
  10. News: Mere Pyare Prime Minister' screened at Rome Film Festival . Business Standard India . 27 October 2018 . . 27 October 2018.
  11. Web site: Mere Pyaare Prime Minister screened at Rome Film Festival . cinemaexpress.com . 27 October 2018.
  12. Web site: 'Mere Pyare Prime Minister' only Asian film screened at Rome Film Festival. . Dailyhunt . 28 October 2018.
  13. Web site: 'Mere Pyare Prime Minister' screened at Rome Film Festival . freepressjournal.in . 27 October 2018.
  14. Web site: Mere Pyare Prime Minister': Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra reveals the release date of his film . . 12 February 2019.
  15. Web site: Mehra's next film is 'Mere Pyare Prime Minister' . 19 May 2017.
  16. Web site: Exclusive Interview: आंखें खोल देगी 'मेरे प्यारे प्राइम मिनिस्टर' . 13 March 2019 . Punjab Kesari . hi.
  17. Web site: Mere Pyare Prime Minister . Netflix . May 2019 . 29 September 2019.
  18. Web site: 15 March 2019 . Mere Pyare Prime Minister movie review: A film featuring kids but not a film for kids . 7 July 2020 . . en.