In 1991, the Government of India opened up the economy and unleashed the forces of globalization, forever changing the landscape of the country. A dozen years later, India was celebrating its emergence as a global economic super-power. Set in 2004, in the midst of a nationwide 'India Shining' campaign, the film Mantra tells the intimate story of a family and its travails, and through it, the story of the New India.
The protagonist of the film is Kapil Kapoor (Rajat Kapoor), the founder of an iconic Indian snack brand in the 'License Raj' old India. But today - in 2004 - he is fighting a losing battle against a multinational that has taken over the market. But it is not just his company that Kapil is desperately trying to save; it is also his own wife and children who are battling their own crises. While his eldest son Viraj (Shiv Pandit) is pursuing his own restaurant business, his younger daughter Pia (Kalki Koechlin) is desperately looking to break out and live on her own.
His youngest Vir (Rohan Joshi) is head over heels in a virtual affair with a married woman with kids and his wife is just on the cusp of wanting a divorce because of the sheer lack of intimacy or romance. Kapil, meanwhile, maintains a straight face and a graceful smile, while all else around him crumbles.But for Kapil to hold on to everything that is dear to him - professionally and personally - he must confront himself; what he will save, and what he will lose, depends on the extent he is willing to face his own demons. Mantra is a film that is deeply personal, set against the landscape of a sprawling, changing, India.
Each character, however brief, is cast perfectly. Rajat Kapoor's role as the stoic father struggling to do the right thing, Shiv Pandit as the angry son with his own battles to fight, and even Adil Hussain's heart-warming cameo, stand out.
The film is more a collection of anecdotes which reflect a dysfunctional family fighting to stay afloat amidst the chaos that life in urban India is. A crowd-funded effort, Mantra is a brave film that delves into the complex world of urban relationships and poses the right questions.