Hi Nanna could be loosely translated to ‘Hi Dad,’ and is the story of a single father living in Mumbai, trying to find a balance between his hectic work life as a photographer and finding time for his chronically ill daughter, Mahi. Life has been smooth sailing for him and Mahi until a woman walks into their life and things change as Viraj is not keen on seeking a relationship. Hi Nanna is about the journey that Viraj and Mahi take with this woman, and there is a possibility of shared history between the adults.
Spoilers Ahead
Who Were Viraj And Mahi?
Viraj was a highly sought-after high-profile photographer living in Mumbai with his daughter and a friend. The friend was an elderly gentleman who was helping Viraj raise Mahi. Viraj and Mahi have a close bond with each other, and the father makes sure to be friends with her instead of being a typical distant parent. Mahi suffered from cystic fibrosis since birth. Viraj made sure his daughter got the best treatment and was willing to opt for any surgery or transplant that could save her life. There was no mention of his wife or if he was a widower or a divorcee, but Viraj was financially stable, and he was having a good time taking care of his daughter.
Why Was Mahi Upset At Her Father?
Mahi was livid as her classmate scored more than her, and Viraj promised to disclose details about her mother if she was deemed the class topper. Viraj broke the promise, chose to stay away from talking about this subject, and dodged every question Mahi threw at him. Mahi, along with their dog Pluto, leave home to teach her father a lesson. Mahi and Pluto run into a woman, Yashna, who rescues them from getting lost in the city. After a brief interesting conversation, Yashna was keen to know more about the young girl and her father. Viraj was asked to meet at a coffee shop, and he met Yashna for the first time. Intrigued by the story Yashna heard from Mahi, the lady wants to know the history of this man she just met. Yashna is slightly attracted to Viraj, which is proof of her curiosity.
What Is The Story Of Mahi’s Mother?
Varsha and Viraj met at Lovedale. Viraj felt an instant attraction towards Varsha and confessed his love for her. Varsha reciprocated by being honest about not believing in love, marriage, or having kids after witnessing her parents falling apart years after their marriage. She leaves for Mumbai to join college, only to find Viraj in the city. Moved by his gesture, Varsha eventually fell in love and got married.
Their marriage was perfect until Varsha started having qualms about having a child. Viraj went out of his way to persuade her, and they finally conceived. The girl was born with a rare illness, which distressed Varsha. She further convinced herself that she would not have gone through with the pregnancy if Viraj had not persuaded her to have one. She also confessed to having made a mistake by marrying Viraj. VIraj and Varsha’s accident right after the argument caused her to lose her memories. Varsha’s mother used this situation to berate Viraj and asked him and Mahi to stay away from her daughter as she had contemplated divorce just a few days ago. Viraj has no option but to let Varsha have a life of her own.
Why Were Viraj And Mahi In Goa?
Varsha was none other than Yashna, and Viraj had changed the name of his wife to make sure his spouse’s memories were not triggered. Viraj did not want Mahi to interact with Yashna, for obvious reasons. Mahi was obsessed with the idea of having a mother, and Viraj never wanted her to be upset if Yashna planned to leave them for good. The only way to keep both away from each other was to take Mahi to Goa under the pretext of a project he was assigned. Viraj was successful in his plan, even though it meant Mahi’s health might deteriorate because of constant travel.
Is There Any Attraction Between Yashna And Viraj?
Yashna was attracted to Viraj because of the undying devotion he showed while retelling the story of his marriage. Viraj was aware of the reality and the pain he had been through six years ago. He was not willing to take a chance on love again and put his daughter through stress. Viraj may have liked the idea of having Yashna back and having a perfect family, but he was also a realistic man who wanted to stay away from troubles of the heart that could eventually affect Mahi as well. Yashna confessed her love for Viraj, but he was unperturbed by it. Viraj had to create a harsh image of himself to make sure Yashna backed off.
What Happened At Yashna’s Wedding?
Yashna’s fiancé, Aravind, showed up in Goa, announcing they would be getting married in the state because she loved the sands. Viraj quietly walked away from her family, not before letting Yashna’s mother know about Mahi’s presence. The mother was expecting them to never reappear in Yashna’s life, but fate had other plans. Mahi had hoped to meet Yashna one last time before she tied the knot but was interrupted by the bride’s mother, who, in a fit of anger and despair, revealed Yashna to be Mahi’s biological mother as well. Viraj, in a state of rage, asks Yashna to back off because he must be the decision-maker about who walks into Mahi’s life and stays forever. Viraj had PTSD from the pain he went through after the accident and the conversation he had had with Yashna moments before it happened. As a father and a person still in love with Yashna, he would rather keep all the troubles away instead of trying to retrieve Yashna’s memories. Viraj loved Yashna, but his concern was Mahi’s physical and mental health, as he would never give up on it. Mahi rejects Yashna as her mother figure for the sake of her father, and they plan to move on.
Did Yashna Get Her Memory Back?
Yashna decided to marry Aravind after being rejected by Viraj and Mahi. Yashna was expecting some declaration of love from the person she fell for, but she was given a negative reaction. The woman wanted to work on the connection she felt with him, but Viraj had backed out of her life to prioritize his daughter, and she believed his move was the right choice. Yashna was still not informed about the real connection between her, Viraj, and Mahi. Viraj feared losing Yashna again to her controlling mother.
Mahi’s health deteriorates, and she is moved to a local hospital in Goa, but with very little chance of survival. Viraj had lost hope in saving Mahi at this stage, as he probably regretted making the trip to Goa, risking his only daughter’s life. There was a chance of a lung transplant, but the doctors were not confident about her survival post-surgery. The present Yashna, who loves Mahi, would not be in a position to fathom the statements she had made right after their daughter was born.
Yashna does not get her memory back, but she had memories of things and people around her, including her father. The elderly person living with Viraj turned out to be Yashna’s father, who was livid at the way her mother handled the situation after the accident. He sympathized with Viraj and his concerns for Mahi and decided to live with him and help raise his granddaughter. Yashna’s father could not walk away from a good man like Viraj, who gave everything to make their marriage work and keep Mahi alive for the last six years. He requested that she make a life decision based on her choices and not let anyone interfere. He implied that Yashna’s mother, who controlled the situation right after the accident, had a difficult time letting go of her only daughter.
The mother believed Yashna deserved a better life, and when the opportunity arrived, she did not think twice before separating the couple and taking advantage of their difficult times. Yashna was requested to be a brave person, be there for the man she claimed to be in love with, and not give up. Yashna’s father had witnessed his daughter giving up on her marriage and her child before the accident. Since she had no memory of anything before the accident, she could rebuild, restart and probably give Viraj a chance to see a Yashna he had not known before. She made her choice, but her only concern would be Aravind.
Did Aravind Save Mahi?
Aravind asked her to follow her heart instead of being bound by a ritual or expectation people have of her. He turned out to be an understanding and sensitive person. Aravind would not have wanted this confusion after the marriage, and this gave him some clarity on what his expectations from his future partner are as well. Aravind’s understanding of the situation made it easy for Yashna to make a concrete decision.
Yashna heads to the hospital only to witness Mahi’s deteriorating condition. Yashna was aware of the love she had for Mahi and Viraj, which made her walk away from her wedding without any guilt. Viraj was devastated and helpless at this juncture. He had spent countless years working on her recovery, yet everything could culminate into a monumental tragedy.
Aravind walks in to save the day as he is revealed to be a reputed neurosurgeon, and his friends were specialist surgeons who were willing to help with Mahi’s case. This revelation was rather surprisingly refreshing because, as mentioned above, physically, Aravind would seem like a person who could beat people into pulp. Aravind was in touch with his emotions, which allowed him to be a bigger person and help. Since he was a doctor himself, helping those in distress was a part of his job.
Yashna was willing to be the support system Viraj had been craving all this while. Yashna and Viraj come together as a couple to make sure Mahi goes into the surgery, knowing she would have a mother figure once she begins her recovery. Hi Nanna ends with Aravind and his team performing the crucial surgery on her. Simultaneously, a scene of an older Mahi performing her mother’s favorite song, which was composed and written by Yashna herself is shown. Mahi probably survived because she was destined to live with her parents going forward. Yashna and Viraj, on the other hand, found their way back to each other after years of being apart. Their marriage was meant to last, as stated by Yashna’s father.
