BADRINATH KI DULHANIA - A unique case of the makers returning with the same lead pair, a similar title, identical looks and the same old premise of a wedding, mocking at the viewers patience & choice. (Review by Bobby Sing)

This is an unique case indeed, as writer-director Shashank Khaitan debuted with HUMPTY SHARMA KI DULHANIA in 2014 (an upgraded version of DDLJ) and now comes up with BADRINATH KI DULHANIA in 2017 as his second film with the same lead pair, similar sounding title, identical feel and the same basic premise of a wedding displaying an amazing kind of over-confidence backed by the same production house unbelievably. And that too when the film is not any official sequel, but a clear attempt to build some kind of brand or franchise with the possible third in the making as another XYZ KI DULHANIA!

No doubt a lot can be concluded from this revealing case about the present state of our Hindi Cinema. But leaving the discussion for another detailed write up, here is a short review of the film, which neither comes up with anything new in terms of content nor treatment, typically made as a safe ‘business product’ serving the greedy multiplexes.

The film begins with all plain ordinary sequences, one average song and an over-energized Varun leading from the front reminding you of ‘a young Govinda’. The well-written entertaining dialogues hold the key in its first half along with the beautiful Alia, and some forced funny sequences keep bringing in the smiles before a (repetitive) twist is revealed just before the ‘Intermission’.

In the second half, the focus suddenly shifts to the girl’s career ambition which was never mentioned in details or specifically talked about in the film’s opening hour. The narration drops pretty fast with the story having no engaging developments or novel turns, but some witty one liners do keep trying to entertain (including an ‘always there’ gay sequence in a KJO production). Besides here we yet again witness a foreign tour looking clichéd to the core having no novelty of any sort leading to over-length and boredom together.

As a positive change, brand promotion is smartly inserted taking the story forward, before it seems like crossing the limits with excessive sequences of Air-hostess training programs towards the end. Having a rich look and feel, surprisingly the film doesn’t have any great soundtrack. The title track takes its basic inspiration from the cult ‘Chalat Musafir’  in TEESRI KASAM and the hook line (Muniya Re Muniya) from its hit remix by the pop-band JOSHILAY without giving all due credits. Strangely where this key song gets played along the end credits, the poor Tamma Tamma remake looks like a clearly forced addition in the last 30 minutes of the film.

The supporting cast mostly works, especially Sahib Vaid as the entertaining friend, but has a miscast too in the important role of the father. Both Varun and Alia play their parts well as the loving couple, but it’s Alia who looks more natural and controlled in comparison to the high-spirited Varun (forcefully) speaking in the regional lingo. In fact right from the language to the social issues incorporated in the script like dowry, working women and their suppressed life post-marriage, everything largely looks like added just for the sake of it without any strong focus or impact except the educated Bhabhi (Shweta Prasad) leaving an impression in her few scenes.

In short, BADRINATH KI DULHANIA offers nothing new and can only be seen if you don’t mind watching the same stuff again and again served in a marginally entertaining way (with a better first half) largely depending upon the charm and fan following of its young stars.

So if that is all you are looking for in your weekly movie outing, then this might work for you, but since I was personally expecting at least some novel and fresh treatment if not a new storyline, this repetitive DULHANIA didn’t work for me to be honest.

Rating : 2 / 5