Dinesh Kamath's column on film 'Mai' that was published in Newsband

The film Mai is directed by Mahesh Kodiyal and its star cast consists of Asha Bhosle, Padmini Kolhapure, Shivani Joshi, Ram Kapoor, Navin Kaushik and Anupam Kher. The film will release on 1 February 2013.

Music Director of the film is Nitin R Shankar. Lyricists are Sahil Sultanpuri and Manoj Tapadia. Singers are Asha Bhosle, Sukhwinder Singh, Ryan Victor, Payal Dev, Arjun Kanungo, Zanai Bhosle.

In this film Mai, Asha Bhosle makes her debut as an actress. For the legendary songstress it was not difficult to make the transition from singing to acting at this late stage of her life when she is 80. It’s the mother’s role that she is playing. She didn’t have to act. In fact she found that acting is much easier than singing. She didn’t find playing the mother in Mai too difficult.

Bollywood playback legend Asha Bhosle and cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar bonded big time while unveiling the music of film Mai. Sachin Tendulkar launched the music of Mai. Sachin also revealed that he looked up to Bhosle as a role model and was keen to watch her performance in Mai.

Bhosle admitted she was nervous while facing the camera at the age of 79. She was not sure whether she would be able to watch the film with everyone. She was too nervous about her acting skills. The film narrates an emotional story which everyone will enjoy.

Mai is about an aging mother and the story is relevant in the current scenario. Asha Bhosle has dedicated the film to her mother whom she considers her idol. The film also features Padmini Kolhapure and Ram Kapoor in prominent roles.

One of the best performers of her time, Padmini Kolhapure has teamed up with Asha Bhosle in Mai and she is sure that the legendary singer will surprise everyone. Mai is made in Hindi.

Padmini shares terrific rapport with the singer. Asha Bhosle is like a mother to her and she felt happy that she got to act with her. She felt great to work with her.

Asha Bhosle essays the role of a mother while Padmini Kolhapure is her daughter in the film. The film has no hardcore romance and no rib-tickling humour.

Mai..., the acting debut of veteran singer Asha Bhosle, narrates the story of an old desolate mother, who suffers from Alzheimer's and is tossed between her four children.

When her son and two youngest daughters try to run away from taking her responsibility, the eldest daughter Madhu, played by Padmini Kolhapure, takes a stand against the wishes of her husband and tends to her mother. How the daughter's family life gets affected by this, and how the relationship between Mai and her son-in-law takes a miraculous, life-changing turn, forms the rest of the story.            

The movie Mai is a great piece of art. Do watch it when it gets released on 1 February 2013.