Maska 2020

Rumi Irani is the successor of his father, Rustom Irani, who used to run the Rustom Café in South Mumbai. His mother, Diana Irani, keeps the cafe running with a simple, dependable menu. After the elder Irani’s death, Diana hopes that Rumi will take over the business and revamp it once he finishes his undergraduate studies. A turning point arrives when he wins the Mr. Feroz Shah Bag award, shared with Persis Mistry, who takes home the Ms. Feroz Shah Bag Award. This moment kindles a budding passion in him for acting, and he promptly enrolls in an acting school, opening up to a new world and a new life.

There, he enters into a relationship with his fellow acting peer, Mallika, a Punjabi divorcee who brings a different energy into his world. The two navigate the complexities of fame and romance as they graduate; on that day, Rumi does not win the Best Actor award he expected, while Mallika secures the Best Actress award. This uneven celebration of success foreshadows the shifting loyalties and ambitions that follow. Mallika urges Rumi into a live-in arrangement, and he brings her to meet his mother. Diana’s initial warmth quickly cools when she discovers Mallika’s status as a divorcee, making it clear that she would not bless their union if Rumi persists down that path. Faced with disapproval and the pressure of family opinion, Rumi makes a drastic choice: he sells his father’s watch and runs away with the money.

Rumi relocates to Andheri and continues to live with Mallika while pursuing auditions. Despite his efforts, his acting talent does not translate into steady opportunities, and rejection becomes a constant companion. Meanwhile, Mallika lands a lead role in a web series, casting a shadow over his dreams and eroding his confidence. In a moment of desperation, a director with no funds for a film announces that the lead role will go to whoever can secure the necessary funds. Motivated by the possibility of finally breaking through, Rumi contemplates selling the cafe to raise the money, effectively gambling his family legacy for a chance at stardom.

In parallel, Persis is working on a coffee-table book about Mumbai’s Irani cafés. She spends time at the cafe as she researches and writes, and as she digs into the history and atmosphere of the place, she finds herself drawn to Rumi. Their interactions slowly blossom into love, and Persis asks him to take her virginity, a request he hesitates to fulfill but ultimately agrees to. The couple shares a deeply intimate moment at the cafe.

Just as the sale of the cafe is about to go through, Diana uncovers the real reason behind his return from Andheri. She signs the papers, transferring power of attorney to him so he can sell the cafe legally. Yet, at the moment of the deal, he experiences a shift in perspective. He abandons the dream of acting as an illusion rather than a reality he can pursue, choosing instead to preserve the family legacy. He ends his relationship with Mallika and finds a reconciliation with Persis. In the end, Diana stands by him as they celebrate the cafe’s centenary, with Boman Irani as the chief guest, marking a hopeful new chapter for the Irani family and their iconic coffee shop.