Star Cast: Anupam Kher, Mahima Chaudhary, Neena Kulkarni, Annu Kapoor, Ranvir Shorey
Director: Gajendra Ahire
Language: Hindi
Available On: Zee 5
Runtime: 126 Minutes
It takes an exceptional level of misdirection to tell the story of a man struggling to save his dying wife and yet fail to evoke a single moment of sadness throughout a nearly two-hour runtime. Unfortunately, The Signature manages just that.
The film boasts a stellar cast, including Neena Kulkarni, Ranvir Shorey, Mahima Chaudhary, Annu Kapoor, and the ever-reliable Anupam Kher. After watching the trailer, which was well-edited and intriguing, I was eager to dive into the emotional world of this story, which revolves around the painful waiting period before a personal loss.
The central premise of the film is profound: a man determined to fight for his wife, who is alive but unconscious, hooked up to life support. The film explores the agony of deciding when to let go, not just emotionally but also physically. It begins with promise, delving into the man’s post-retirement life as he grapples with this heartbreaking dilemma. However, that promise quickly dissolves, as the plot meanders in a chaotic and confusing direction. It’s as if the filmmakers themselves lost their way, leaving the audience to wonder, “Why?” at every twist and turn.
There are several jarring plot points. For instance, the son’s opposition to his father spending every last penny to keep the mother alive feels unconvincing. The dialogues between father and son lack emotional weight from both sides. Then there’s Ranvir Shorey, playing another attendant fighting for his daughter’s life, whose storyline suddenly shifts to a rant about corporate greed in hospitals. This subplot feels out of place and is abandoned just as quickly as it’s introduced, possibly a result of choppy editing.
Star Performances and Missed Opportunities
Annu Kapoor, playing the protagonist’s best friend, and Mahima Chaudhary, as a cancer patient, do their best with the material given to them, but their talent is wasted on a weak script. Even Ranvir Shorey seems to realize that his character is going nowhere. What could have been powerful performances are overshadowed by a screenplay that doesn’t know what it wants to say.
Direction and Disconnect
Director Gajendra Ahire presents us with several moments that are difficult to overlook, starting from the opening scene. Neena Kulkarni’s character collapses in front of an airport queue, yet no one reacts. The entire crowd just stands there, as if instructed not to disrupt the filming. This lack of authenticity seeps into many other aspects of the film.
A particularly jarring issue is the inconsistent use of language. In emotionally charged moments, characters switch between English and Hindi in a way that feels unnatural. A father yelling at his son in English about his wife’s fate or a man in Lucknow rushing to alert a nurse in English feels deeply disconnected from the emotional reality the film tries to convey. As someone who has recently experienced the anxiety of an ICU, I can say this portrayal misses the mark entirely. Language matters, especially when it’s supposed to evoke genuine emotion.
The Last Word
The film’s climax is as underwhelming as a lukewarm cup of coffee. Even when it reaches its final shocking moments, it fails to elicit the empathy or pathos it so desperately aims for. Despite my initial excitement after watching the trailer, The Signature left me disappointed. It’s a missed opportunity, unable to connect with its audience on the most basic emotional level.
