A poignant reflection of expat life
Pinky Memsaab gives a true glimpse into the lives of the South Asian diaspora in the UAE. At times, it feels like you are peeking into the lives of someone you know. The movie essentially chronicles the lives of Pinky, a wide-eyed girl new to Dubai, and her unconventional connection with a beautiful socialite and writer, Mehr. Eventually, we see the journey of Pinky from being a traditional maid to a confident girl who dresses up in modern clothes. It is interesting to see the contrasting lives of two women from the same country due to class and social divide. You see the expansive Jumeirah villas and also the cramped living spaces of old Dubai. The coexistence and determination of countless expats form the soul of this city and that is the essence of the movie as well. There are many plots in the film and one of them revolves around the complicated relationship between Mehr who is a writer and her banker husband. This story eventually becomes the crux of the film. This is a couple who love each other and are faithful but eventually, they separate for a trivial reason. The movie tells you very delicately that the reason for their estrangement is not because they don’t love each other. But perhaps it is because they are afraid of their dreams or who they truly are. It is only when they have a period of self reflection that they start valuing each other. It reminds you of Kahlil Gibran’s thought on marriage wherein he says, “Let there be spaces in your togetherness, and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.”
It is one of those movies which tenderly makes you reflect about how we are ignorant about our own inner battles and how it is extremely important to give closure to one’s own trauma before starting something new. The movie engrosses you so much that you are not really watching the characters but it feels like you are a fly on the wall in someone’s house, observing their daily routine and complex emotions. Thumbs up to all the actors for bringing subtle nuances and realness in their characters especially to Sunny who portrays a happygo-lucky, talkative driver who will remind you of every RTA driver that you might have come across. The biggest cheer goes to the director and writer Shazia for bringing this heartfelt story about the experience of living in Dubai, about different thoughts colliding and evolving, and the transformative power of relationships. If you had to choose one film to watch at the theatres this weekend, let it be Pinky Memsaab. After all it is a homegrown film set in your backyard that needs the love and support of the people it is representing on the big screen. arti@khaleejtimes.com
Pinky Memsaab: A Dubai Story
Cast: Kiran Malik, Hajra Yamin, Sunny Hinduja, and Adnan Jaffar Director: Shazia Ali Khan