Aparna gives up her career to raise her three children, only to find that as they grow up they start seeing her as old fashioned. The kids launch a mission to remake their mother into a modern, Western styled woman, straining the bond between them. Adapted from a Dhiruben Patel story, the film weighs the cost of that makeover against the values of the home.
Mission Mummy is Ashish Kakkad's second feature after Better Half, and he uses it to adapt a Dhiruben Patel story into a gentle family drama with a sharper idea underneath. Aparna trades her career to raise three children, and once they are grown they decide she needs an upgrade. Their campaign to turn her into a modern, Western styled mother becomes the mission of the title, and the film follows what that push does to a house that used to run on her terms.
The real subject is the widening gap inside comfortable Gujarati homes, the distance between the language and habits kept inside the door and the world the children absorb outside it. Aarti Patel anchors the film as Aparna and keeps it from tipping into lecture. The soundtrack leans on Narsinh Mehta's prabhatiyas and Tushar Shukla's ode to the mother tongue, which gives the film a rooted texture that matches its argument. Kakkad frames it as a children and family piece, so the tone stays warm rather than scolding.
It is a small film and it shows, from the modest scale to a message that gets underlined more than once. The pacing is soft and the conflict is simplified for a family audience. Even so, the sincerity carries it, and the strong audience score of 7.4 on IMDb reflects viewers who recognised the tension it describes. Watch it for a quiet, well meaning look at how modern homes drift from their own roots.
Verdict
A small, sincere family film that says something real about how modern Gujarati homes drift from their own language and values. Warm rather than sharp, but its heart is genuine.
What works
- A sincere look at the generation and culture gap in Gujarati homes
- Aarti Patel grounds the film as Aparna
- Rooted soundtrack built on Narsinh Mehta's prabhatiyas
- Warm, family friendly treatment of a real issue
What holds it back
- The message gets underlined more than once
- Gentle pacing lacks urgency
- Child drama framing simplifies the conflict
- Modest production scale shows on screen
Cast & crew
Writers: Ashish Kakkad, Dipak Soliya (based on a story by Dhiruben Patel)
Music: Nishith Mehta
Cast: Aarti Patel (Aparna (Mummy)), Raj Vazir (Shrikant (Papa)), Satyam Sharma (Vyom), Aashna Mehta (Saloni), Saumya Shah (Vismay)
Producers: Nigam Shah, Divyesh Mehta, Sugam Shah
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore Family Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is Mission Mummy worth watching?
A small, sincere family film that says something real about how modern Gujarati homes drift from their own language and values. Warm rather than sharp, but its heart is genuine. Kevu Che rates it 3.5 out of 5.
What is Mission Mummy about?
Aparna gives up her career to raise her three children, only to find that as they grow up they start seeing her as old fashioned. The kids launch a mission to remake their mother into a modern, Western styled woman, straining the bond between them. Adapted from a Dhiruben Patel story, the film weighs the cost of that makeover against the values of the home.
What is the IMDb rating of Mission Mummy?
Mission Mummy (2016) holds an IMDb rating of 7.4 out of 10.