The Signature review: Anupam Kher and Neena Kulkarni's story of love, hope and survival will tug at your heartstrings

3/5

The Signature story:

Filmmaker Gajendra Ahire's movie The Signature is the Hindi remake of his 2013 Marathi film Anumati, which featured Vikram Gokhale. The basic premise of Anupam Kher-starrer is how a
husband goes through emotional and financial turmoil when his wife becomes critically ill. While Madhu is on a ventilator, Arvind faces financial challenges to support his beloved wife's medical expenses. 

The Signature review:

"Where there's hope, there's life. It fills us with fresh courage and makes us strong again," — This saying by Anne Frank describes Anupam Kher aka Arvind Pathak's situation in The Signature. Despite being given a DNR form by the doctor, Arvind doesn't sign it as he is hopeful about his wife Madhu's recovery. That's the one hope that keeps Arvind going although he faces numerous challenges to pay his wife's medical expenses.

Also read: The Signature: Anupam Kher starrer new promo will make you want to hug your parents a little tighter!

The story of The Signature begins with Arvind and Madhu getting ready for their Europe trip. Their children accompany them to the airport. Right before they check in, Madhu becomes unconscious and falls to the ground. It is soon followed by her hospitalization, where she has been kept on life support. While Madhu's son has given his consent on the DNR form, Arvind is in two minds before penning his signature on the form. Arvind signing the DNR form would mean that Madhu can be taken off the ventilator support.

However, Arvind is confident that his wife will recover with the medical treatment. Unfortunately, he faces a financial setback after spending over Rs 5 lakh for Madhu's treatment. As his helplessness grows further, Arvind struggles to gather money for his partner's medical treatment from different resources available. An old college friend Ambika (Mahima Chaudhry) comes as a ray of hope in his life but he doesn't share his financial ordeal with her. The questions that arise now are: 'How long will Arvind be able to fund the treatment?' Even if Arvind gets financial help, will Madhu be able to survive?' The answers lie in the story ahead.

The Signature is a film that will move you to tears. From the beginning to the end, the movie keeps you hooked to the screen despite a few bumps here and there. For example, Arvind's son goes missing right in the middle of the story. And there's no concrete reason as to why the character's journey is cut short. 

Moreover, it is Ranvir Shorey's emotional journey in The Signature that seems incomplete. There's one powerful sequence that Shorey delivers as a kid's father. However, the sequences that could follow later aren't shown for us to connect better with his journey. 

Having said that, The Signature is more than just a story of a husband being torn between 'love and hope'. The film also explores the parent-child relationship as the parents grow old, the struggles that the elderly face, and society's perception of them. At the same time, it highlights the beautiful soul connection between Arvind and Madhu and additionally how friends are ready to stand by your side in moments of crisis.

Anupam Kher shines with his earnest performance in The Signature. Mahima Chaudhry makes the best use of her screen time to leave a lasting impact. On the other hand, Ranvir Shorey leaves you wanting for more. As for Neena Kulkarni, it would've been delightful to see more of her good old days in the film. 

The Signature final verdict:

Anupam Kher, Neena Kulkarni, and Mahima Chaudhry offer a heartwarming and moving tale of love, hope, and survival. You can consider watching this film, especially with your parents!

The Gajendra Ahire directorial will release on October 4, 2024 on ZEE5. You can also watch this movie with your OTTplay Premium subscription.

Also read: Anupam Kher reveals how 'The Signature' can decide if you are alive or dead | Watch