Shakuntala Devi (film)

In 2001, Anupama Banerjee arrives in London, England with her husband, Ajay Abhay Kumar, and reveals that she is filing a criminal case against her mother, Shakuntala Devi.

The film moves to Shakuntala Devi's childhood in Bangalore in the 1930s where her family discovers her incredible talent for quickly solving complex mathematical problems in her head. Her father, Bishaw, decides to use Shakuntala's talent and have her do "math shows," where she would entertain people with her problem solving prowess. Shakuntala continues to do math shows and earn for the family as she grows up, but blames her father for not letting her live a normal childhood. She also blames her mother for not standing up to him, especially in the wake of her sister's death. In 1954, she leaves for London after a violent altercation with her boyfriend, Dhiraj, after she learns that he had been pretending to love her even though he had a marriage fixed and even the invites printed out.

In London, Shakuntala lives with Tarabai in her home with three other Indian men but struggles to find opportunities for her shows. However, she eventually manages to impress Javier, a Spanish mathematician, when she shows off her skills at the Royal Mathematical Society in London. He helps improve Shakuntala's English and helps her get shows, and the pair begin a relationship as well. Shakuntala's popularity rapidly grows, and is given the nickname "The Human Computer" after she proves a computer wrong on a TV show. She expands her global influence by performing in other countries, and becomes a worldwide celebrity. Amidst all of this, Javier ends his relationship with Shakuntala, stating that he needs to return to Spain.

In 1968, Shakuntala meets Paritosh Banerjee in Mumbai, and the two quickly fall in love. The couple eventually get married and settle in Kolkata, with the aspirations of starting a family. In 1970, Shakuntala gives birth to Anupama, also known Anu, and devotes her life to being a mother. However, she realises how much she misses doing shows and decides to resume her career, leaving Anu with Paritosh. Shakuntala continues to amaze people, and even makes it into The Guinness Book of Records, but she worries about being an uncaring mother. Much to Paritosh's dismay, Shakuntala ultimately decides to take Anu with her on her travels and they soon divorce.

While growing up, Anu travels around the world with her mother. As Shakuntala is constantly exploring new career avenues, Anu finds herself constantly ignored and disenchanted with her life. Even after enrolling Anu in a college, Shakuntala uses every opportunity she can to have Anu accompany her. This reaches a breaking point when a teenage Anu lashes out at her mother for building her career at the expense of her childhood. In response, Shakuntala takes a break and settles with Anu in London, even supporting her business aspirations. This helps the mother and daughter become close. However, their relationship sours again when an adult Anu decides to marry Ajay, a businessman. Shakuntala informs Ajay of her expectation of him moving with them to London, despite him being settled in Bangalore. Anu accuses her mother of constantly holding her back and not letting her live her own life. Shakuntala, unwilling to let her daughter go, threatens to shut down Anu's business. Anu cuts off all contact with Shakuntala, and marries Ajay. She decides to not have children, fearing that she would not be a good mother. Despite this, Anu gives birth to a daughter, Amritha.

Anu and Ajay receive a shock when they are informed that Shakuntala used her power of attorney to sell Anu's business properties, while giving her zero percent of the profit share. Furthermore, she passed the payment of the capital gains tax on to Anu, leaving her family in massive debt. Anu and Ajay decide to take legal action against Shakuntala, and travel to London for the proceedings. Upon their arrival, they discover that Shakuntala's actions were a stunt, done so she could force her daughter to come see her. Shakuntala gives Anu the profit received from the sale of her properties, and asks for her forgiveness. Anu forgives her mother, and the two have an emotional reunion. Later, when Shakuntala wins an award in India, Anu, Ajay and Amritha attend it. Shakuntala also does a mini math show during the ceremony. Anu states that she is proud of her mother once again.

• Vidya Balan as Shakuntala Devi; Paritosh's former wife, Anupama's mother, Ajay's mother-in-law and Amrita's grandmother
• Spandan Chaturvedi as teenage Shakuntala
• Araina Nand as child Shakuntala
• Jisshu Sengupta as Paritosh Banerjee; Shakuntala's former husband, Anupama's father, Ajay's father-in-law and Amritha's grandfather{{cite web |url=https://www.news18.com/news/movies/jisshu-sengupta-to-play-vidya-balans-husband-in-shakuntala-devi-human-computer-2381801.html |title=Jisshu Sengupta to Play Vidya Balan's Husband in Shakuntala Devi Human Computer |date=11 November 2019 |website=News18 |access-date=17 November 2019}}
• Sanya Malhotra as Anupama Bannerji (a.k.a. "Anu"); Shakuntala and Paritosh's daughter, Ajay's wife and Amritha's mother.{{cite news |author=Vasudevan, Aishwarya |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/bollywood/report-shakuntala-devi-makers-rope-in-sanya-malhotra-to-play-vidya-balan-s-onscreen-daughter-2791550 |title='Shakuntala Devi': Makers rope in Sanya Malhotra to play Vidya Balan's onscreen daughter |date=22 September 2019 |work=Daily News and Analysis |access-date=22 September 2019}}
• Chahat Tewani as Anu (teenage)
• Amit Sadh as Ajay Abhay Kumar; Anupama's husband, Shakuntala and Paritosh's son-in-law and Amritha's father{{cite news |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/shakuntala-devi-human-computer-amit-sadh-joins-the-cast-of-vidya-balan-s-film-1617055-2019-11-08 |title=Shakuntala Devi Human Computer: Amit Sadh joins Vidya Balan's film |date=8 November 2019 |work=India Today |access-date=17 November 2019}}
• Prakash Belawadi as Bishaw Mitra Mani: Shakuntala's father{{cite news |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/kannada/2020/jul/29/kannada-industry-shouldve-made-film-on-shakuntala-devi-2176035.html |title='Kannada industry should've made film on Shakuntala Devi' |date=29 July 2020 |work=The New Indian Express |access-date=29 July 2020}}
• Nisha Aaliya as Bookshop Interviewer
• Sheeba Chaddha as Tarabai Banarsi, Shakuntala's landlady in London
• Vidyuth Gargi as Mohan Manhas, a TV game show host
• Ipshita Chakraborty Singh as Mrs. Devi, Shakuntala's mother
• Jiya Shah as Sharada Devi, Shakuntala's sister
• Renuka Sharma as Mrs. Kumar, Ajay's mother
• Neil Bhoopalam as Dheeraj Rajan, Shakuntala's former boyfriend
• Luca Calvani as Javier Lewis, Shakuntala's Spanish boyfriend based in London.
• Lan Bailey as Mediator
• Ahan Nirbhan as Srinivas
• Adi Chugh as Kartar
• Philip Roy as Shakuntala's lawyer
• Jack Francis as Anupama's lawyer
• Santosh Banerjee as Gordhanbhai

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film was not released theatrically and streamed on Amazon Prime Video worldwide on 31 July 2020. Vidya Balan expressed her delight on social media platforms regarding the release of the film on over-the-top media services.{{cite news |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/vidya-balanstarrer-shakuntala-devi-to-premiere-on-july-31-on-amazon-prime-video/1884138 |title=Vidya Balan-starrer Shakuntala Devi to premiere on July 31 on Amazon Prime Video |date=2 July 2020 |work=Outlook India |access-date=2 July 2020}}{{Cite web |date=9 July 2020 |title=Vidya Balan's Shakuntala Devi Full Movie Watch Online on Amazon Prime From 31 July |url=https://moviespie.com/news/news-movies/vidya-balans-shakuntala-devi-full-movie-watch-online-on-amazon-prime-from-31-july/ |access-date=9 July 2020 |website=Moviespie |language=en-US |archive-date=22 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922162729/https://www.moviespie.com/news/news-movies/vidya-balans-shakuntala-devi-full-movie-watch-online-on-amazon-prime-from-31-july/ |url-status=dead}}{{cite news |title=Vidya Balan's Shakuntala Devi Movie Review & Rating |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/movie-reviews/vidya-balans-shakuntala-devi-movie-review-rating-77684 |agency=the hans india}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Shakuntala Devi

| type = Soundtrack

| artist = Sachin–Jigar

| cover =

| alt =

| released = 21 July 2020{{cite web |url=https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/shakuntala-devi/KU0oVjoI8Q0 |title=Shakuntala Devi – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack |date=21 July 2020 |publisher=Jiosaavn}}

| recorded = 2019

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Feature film soundtrack

| length = 11:35

| language = Hindi

| label = Zee Music Company

| producer =

| prev_title = Angrezi Medium

| prev_year = 2020

| next_title = Roohi

| next_year = 2021

| misc = {{External media

| audio1 = {{YouTube|BKO2Xva_s3I|Official Audio Jukebox}}

}}}}

The film's music was composed by Sachin–Jigar, and the lyrics were written by Vayu and Priya Saraiya.

{{Tracklist

| headline = Track listing

| total_length = 11:35

| extra_column = Singer(s)

| title1 = Pass Nahi Toh Fail Nahi

| extra1 = Sunidhi Chauhan

| lyrics1 = Vayu Shrivastav

| length1 = 2:31

| title2 = Rani Hindustani

| extra2 = Sunidhi Chauhan

| lyrics2 = Vayu Shrivastav

| length2 = 2:24

| title3 = Paheli

| extra3 = Shreya Ghoshal

| lyrics3 = Priya Saraiya

| length3 = 3:21

| title4 = Jhilmil Piya

| extra4 = Benny Dayal, Monali Thakur

| lyrics4 = Priya Saraiya

| length4 = 3:19

| all_writing =

| title5 =

| length5 =

| title6 =

| length6 =

| title7 =

| length7 =

| title8 =

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| length10 =

}}

Shakuntala Devi received positive reviews from critics.

Sreeparna Sengupta of Times of India gave the film three and half stars out of five and said, "A joy to watch simply to soak in the fascinating life and times of the maths whiz – a human computer faster than an actual computer, the free-spirit, who was all that and so much more!"{{Citation |last=Sengupta |first=Sreeparna |title=Shakuntala Devi Movie Review: Soak yourself in the fascinating life and times of Shakuntala Devi! |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/shakuntala-devi/movie-review/77269254.cms |work=The Times of India |access-date=1 August 2020}}

Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express rated it three out of five stars, calling it "a Vidya Balan show".{{cite web |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/shakuntala-devi-movie-release-live-updates-vidya-sanya-6531915/ |title=Shakuntala Devi movie review and release: Fans hail Vidya Balan's performance |work=The Indian Express |date=31 July 2020 |access-date=31 July 2020}}

Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV opined "the numbers add up nicely with a feisty Vidya Balan", giving the movie three out of five stars.{{cite web |url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/shakuntala-devi-movie-review-the-numbers-add-up-nicely-with-a-feisty-vidya-balan-3-stars-out-of-5-2271731 |title=Shakuntala Devi Movie Review: The Numbers Add Up Nicely With A Feisty Vidya Balan |publisher=NDTV |date=31 July 2020 |first=Saibal |last=Chatterjee |access-date=31 July 2020}}

Mike McCahill of The Guardian gave it three stars out of five and said, "The movie finds funny ways of dramatising the process whereby one generation of women squares its frustrations with another – but it adds up to spirited, intelligent, authentically feminist entertainment."{{Cite news |last=McCahill |first=Mike |date=30 July 2020 |title=Shakuntala Devi review – spirited biopic of a mathematical genius |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/jul/30/shakuntala-devi-review-mathematical-maths-genius-biopic-anu-menon |access-date=1 August 2020 |issn=0261-3077}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|10964468}}
• {{Bollywood Hungama movie|shakuntala-devi}}
• [https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0MAWPX1M7RJE5WZ9FE5LRJ7NZE Shakuntala Devi] on Amazon Prime

Category:2020s Hindi-language films

Category:2020 films

Category:Indian biographical films

Category:Amazon Prime Video original films

Category:Sony Pictures films

Category:Columbia Pictures films

Category:Sony Pictures Networks India films

Category:Films about women in India

Category:2020s biographical films