The Signature review: Anupam Kher's sensitive drama has issues, but his moving performance makes up for everything

The Signature review: There’s a lot to like in The Signature. But there’s a bit that leaves you underwhelmed too. Can we call it Baghban 2.0 minus the melodrama? Maybe. (Also read: CTRL review: Ananya Panday's thriller on artificial intelligence is a desi, pacy version of Black Mirror)

The Signature story

Anupam Kher stars as Arvind, a retired librarian who is leaving for a Europe trip with wife Madhu (played by Neena Kulkarni). His world comes crashing down when she faints at the airport, and the cause is brain haemorrhage. He desperately needs money for his wife’s ventilator and medical bills, after exhausting his savings. His children too aren’t of much help. The doctors advise him to sign a DNR form, which means no CPR would be performed if their patient’s breathing or heart stops.

Arvind is shattered, and does whatever he can to source funds. Another parallel is also the signature he requires from his son, to sell off his retirement house. He denies it. What happens next is the story.

The Signature is a remake of the highly acclaimed 2013 Marathi film Anumati, which translates to ‘permission’ in English. Anupam steps into the shoes of the late Vikram Gokhale. He brings to life Arvind’s helplessness so beautifully… but initially, maybe because of the writing or direction- you can make out he’s acting, and not simply existing as the character on screen. We are not questioning his acting capabilities here, but some sequences draw away from the realism of the plot and give in to the temptation of conventional Hindi cinema tropes. As a viewer, we know the beats of our films so well by now, we can guess what’s going to happen next. Of course the protagonist will talk to his unconscious wife sitting by her bedside. Of course his son-in-law won’t help him with money. Of course if an old friend re-enters his life, there must be a purpose. It is all very familiar territory, which in the first half of the film comes close to overpowering the sincerity of Anupam’s performance (he's a co producer too). The pacing of the story also seems like an issue.

The Signature is definitely not something you can consume casually over lunch or dinner. It leaves you with some food for thought via its themes: like the price of life. Who is more deserving of a hospital bed if it comes to making a choice: someone young with their entire life ahead of them, or someone old who is presumed to be past their prime?

Anupam Kher hits it out of the park

There are certain scenes where Anupam hits it out of the park. Watch out for the one where his childhood friend, played by Mahima Chaudhry, drops a truth bomb. She has a pleasing appearance in this film, and does complete justice to her role. Annu Kapoor too, is such a seasoned and reliable performer. Here, he does well as Arvind’s best friend.

The last scene of the film, as Arvind takes a decision, is bound to get you teary eyed. Again, props to Anupam. He is one of the best we have, and that scene alone proves why. Wish the film had matched the level of his performance, though.