THE OTHER LATA

Soneela Nankani delivers a grounded, evenhanded performance as she voices the inner conflict of a woman who is caught between two identities. Lata Murthy decides her actual life is too boring and creates another, more glamorous, self with potentially disastrous consequences. Nankani's style reflects Lata Murthy's shifting inner life as she steps into the world of her new namesake--first hesitantly, then with growing audacity. The contrast between Lata's modest reality and the aspirational lifestyle she adopts is presented engagingly. Nankani conveys Lata's mounting discomfort as her choices bring unexpected consequences, especially as the story veers from light deception to moral compromise. Nankani's choices support the story's explorations of identity, desire, and accountability. The complications with Rajeev, who emerges as a real boyfriend, escalates the stakes. M.R. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2025]