Review by msunando

Juhi Adhikari (Huma Qureshi) is a Hindi professor aspiring to become the head of the department at a college in Darjeeling, where her husband Neel (Parambrata Chattopadhyay) also teaches. The couple has been trying to conceive, a subject that has all but consumed Neel, and all but frustrated Juhi, as their marital life has nothing more to it, so much so that Juhi has started falling out of the marriage. In office, Juhi has encountered Rhea Rajguru (Avantika Dasani), a feisty and complex student who she believes is plagiarising her essays, and Juhi is out to prove it. The problem is that Rhea is the daughter of one of the trustees and is considered privileged. Rhea also uses her reputation to her advantage by charming her ways with the college resources and, once antagonised by Juhi, won't stop without a fightback.

The duel slowly builds up a crescendo in which Rhea resorts to getting personal with Juhi. She forms a relationship with Neel that keeps getting more complex with every passing day, much to the chagrin of Juhi, who realizes that matters are spinning out of control. Suddenly, one fateful night, Juhi comes home to find Neel murdered and is certain that Rhea is the culprit. Police investigations, however, do not support her allegations and, instead, suspect Juhi of the murder. The event brings the two women face to face where their differences threaten to reveal an ugly truth that shake up several people and the very family foundation that Juhi sought refuge in. Lives will be changed forever, and relationships disrupted, with no one benefitting from the duel that was merely a facade to unravel the mystery.

Mithya is a dark, disturbing, and tragic story that is hard hitting. You are forced to take sides often, and sympathies keep swinging like a pendulum as you discover the collateral damage of the duel. Huma Qureshi is spot on, sophisticated, and effective in portraying the professor and wife whose world is slowly disintegrating. Avantika Dasani is sheer menace yet credibly vulnerable as the young student and a daughter searching for her foothold and recognition. Parambrata is fantastic, as usual. Ably supported by Rajit Kapoor, K C Shankar, Samir Soni, Avantika Akerkar, and Bishaka Thapa, Mithya is a quality production directed by Rohan Sippy. Darjeeling looks dreamy, cool, and beautiful, adding to the mysterious proceedings.