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Saritha (Saiyami Kher) a bank employee. Living a hand-to-mouth existence. With a young son and a husband (Roshan Mathew as Sushanth Pillai) who spends most of his time “looking” around for work. She is at best resigned to her job as a bank employee though having failed at a singing contest eons ago plays on her mind, now and then. It’s steady income especially more considering she has a kid to educate and a husband out of work. One of those ants living in Mumbai’s pocked-sized “societies”. 

One fine day, she bafflingly happens to discover pouches of notes. Naturally, she’s ecstatic. Her happiness looks fleeting as bam, the demonetisation notice arrives. Her joy knows no bounds when she ‘continues’ to get newly packaged notes. How does that even happen? She’s finally able to do the things she wanted to do - buy things for the house, lavishly spend on the neighbours… But is that enough to feel content and happy? Does the pang over bungling the singing competition ever go away?

Anurag Kashyap’s layered story, which at times, seems to wander off at tangents, has its moments. Though there are relatable moments like the constant bickering between the couple as she is the breadwinner, the ‘curious’ nature of the neighbours… a repetition of the same ends in a bit of exasperation. Overtime, when Saritha stops responding to Sushanth’s questions, even you start feeling it is for the best.

Coming to the performances, Kher is a winner all the way. You find the despair in her eyes. Easy acceptance. Unbound joy after coming across the money. Indifference or perchance practicality in her attitude towards her husband at times.

As far as Mathew is considered, he shines in scenes where he is agonising or quiet or emoting through his actions. Dialogues or histrionics don’t seem to help him as much as communicating with his eyes or body language is considered.

Special mention to Rajshri Deshpande, who shines in a supporting role as a ‘concerned’ overzealous neighbour. Even though it’s a film that has been made for a streaming platform, one or two songs find their way in. The ones that help push the story ahead help. Else, serve as a mindless distraction that could have been done away with.

You even find sporadic humour in the film, which at times, to give due credit, is laugh out loud and distinctly bears Kashyap’s touch. There’s a bit of a smattering of Tamil as well, on the off chance you care for the details.

Cinematography by Sylvester Fonseca helps capture Kashyap’s trademark montages - dingy spaces, crowded trains, ordinary people with extraordinary dreams while you feel the edits could have been more taut.

Right from the score to the music to the art, everything’s perfect and believable - nothing more, nothing less. To the extent how things end, by one way or another, all’s well ends well.