Star cast: Rishi Kapoor, Ayushmann Khurrana, Sonam Kapoor
Director: Nupur Asthana
What’s Good: The consistent humor of the film that doesn’t droop even when the story hits its low notes and hands down Rishi Kapoor who is marvelous at what he does.
What’s Bad: The damp chemistry of Ayushmann and Sonam who doesn’t quite match up the expected level of romantic blend expected of their characters.
Loo break: Some but entirely depends on you.
Watch or Not?: It took me great patience to like the film and that cannot be a good news for any viewer. Being a Habib Faisal and Nupur Asthana product is the reason why I even gave the film as much window as I did. Was it all worth it? The answer is both affirmative and negative in equal parts. As entertained as you’ll be with Rishi Kapoor doing a magnificent job as Myrah’s dad, it is the not so mesmeric chemistry that inflicts irreparable harm to the film. Watch it for fun simply. Gauging beyond will disappoint.
User Rating:
The young effervescent man Mohit Chadda (Ayushmann Khurrana) has just been promoted as the Senior Marketing executive of his company. Life is all high for him. He has a great lucrative job and a woman he is madly in love with Myrah Sehgal (Sonam Kapoor). The couple decide to tie the knot and for that Mohit must convince Myrah’s father Vinod Sehgal (Rishi kapoor). A former IAS officer, Sehgal is not okay with marrying off his daughter to a man who earns less than her.
Amidst the conflict, Mohit loses his job. Now battling unemployment and his fiance’s father, it is all hell broken loose situation for him. Does he come out of it stronger or loses it all in his tough times?
Bewakoofiyaan Review: Script Analysis
I was under the impression that the film’s focus will be the brunt of recession on young folks and how taxing and turbulent the markets have been for them. But the film’s focus unfortunately rests too heavily on a prospective groom’s tryst with his future father-in-law. Not that the story doesn’t work. It absolutely does and it is the charming realism and simplicity in the storytelling that strikes well. Mohit’s declining confidence with every failed interview and every rough verbal duel with Myrah’s father is well captured in the film. I agree despite being harshly stung by recession, there has barely been a film which elucidates the shaken up mental state of many meritorious people who have been unceremoniously fired or not managed the deserved or expected spot in their career. Faisal’s story will be memorable for being the first of its kind in bringing out in absolute value the feeling of uncertainty that gets instilled in the most youngsters due to the slowing economy and a dire lack of jobs.
Having said that, what really fails to enmesh here is Asthana’s version of Meet the Parents with the high pitched recession tale they were attempting to gun down. Normally cribbing on screen would tick me off but I would have loved to see a little more of Mohit Chadda cribbing here. The story could have delved into adding many more layers but gets its priorities misplaced. I loved the one car conversation Mohit and Myrah have about the former’s finances. Rock show tickets versus rent had me defending both. But such heartfelt crisis moments are rare in the film which shouldn’t have been the case.
The film suffers from the mythical second half bane. Unbelievable and quite unnecessarily over dramatic, it begins to dwindle after the duo break up, losing the film’s hold over the fabric. The climax doesn’t live up to the story’s theme at all and ends up turning out convoluted quite contrary to what the premise promises.
Bewakoofiyaan Review: Star Performances
Ayushmann Khurrana is spontaneous and thankfully has the same zest from Vicky Donor. There is nothing new in his portrayal though. He is exactly himself in the film which is undeniably great but there is no variety in his roles. Buck up dude!
Sonam Kapoor too suffers from the same problem. She is the Aisha who isn’t jobless. Kapoor enjoys the comfort of such roles and her mastery over them is commendable surely but borders on typecasting her for the role type.
The duo’s on screen chemistry has ease but lacks the whiff of magic which comes complimentary with romantic comedies.
Toppling both the leads is Rishi Kapoor who steals the show with yet another supremely gritty performance. He doesn’t miss any hue of playing the retired uptight IAS officer who can’t bear his daughter settling with a guy who earns less than her. His assistant named Gulsharan too manages to make a mark in a role that is very missable.
Bewakoofiyaan Review: Direction, Editing and Screenplay
Nupur Asthana’s name brings up the fondest memories of Hip Hip Hurray. Anyone who has watched this old sitcom will remember that the filmmaker’s flair lies in her simplistic storytelling. She makes her characters, her story very believable and therein lies her forte. Her films are very breezy and refreshing and that is what makes it enjoyable. But the substance at hand gets flaky this time. Though the story on paper could have had greater passion and hilts in it, the rendering isn’t exactly satisfactory. It isn’t bad either just fails to rise up to being overwhelming or mesmeric which was the film’s potential. She keeps it all on the surface for most part and barring the negligible surprises and much needed jerks, it’s all a hunky dory tale.
An unemployed man is taking trips with his lassy and spending heartily and fearlessly seems flawed. His account balance is exhausted and he is clueless about it is again far from believable. The second half turns filmy and the climax quite silly but for a few scenes like Mohit and Myrah’s breakup, she wins because of her wit and grace in handling that one scene.
The music isn’t exactly a plus in the film and has very few memorable numbers. Infact none except the title song stays post the film.
Bewakoofiyaan Review: The Last Word
Bewakoofiyaan is a well crafted film that misses the rightful rendering. A meandering screenplay turns it bland and messy but for Rishi Kapoor’s catchy role it is worth giving a shot to. For me it was the dilemmas of the film’s protagonist and him losing his edginess and confidence due to the sudden loss of job amidst downsizing was the real story. Channelized focus on that and here could have been a breathtaking film. Bewakoofiyaan scores notches below its aim but is definitely recommended for a one time passable watch. I am going with a 2.5/5.
Bewakoofiyaan Trailer
Bewakoofiyaan releases on 14th March, 2014.
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