SHAADI MAIN ZAROOR AANA IS A MUDDLED UP STORY WITH STELLAR PERFORMANCES

Shaadi Main Zaroor Aana is just the quintessential Bollywood film 2017 had been waiting for. The film shall definitely strike a chord with every possible emotion that exists in the human mind, from jealousy, revenge, love, hatred. It serves all of it on a platter with a dash of melodrama and humour added just at the right and no so right places. The story revolves around a man and a woman who happen to meet each other in an arranged marriage setup. They eventually fall in love with each other but that love doesn’t suffice for the latter and she elopes on the eve of her wedding.

What’s in it ?

The film is the journey of the two protagonists, Aarti Shukla (Kriti Kharbanda) and Satyaendra (Rajkummar Rao) falling in love and then fighting their emotions and demons to keep their love intact. Satyaendra is a clerk and is the heir to a three-story ancestral house in his hometown, he’s content and confident. He inhabits traits, that are very unlike for a man who belongs to a small town and that’s what makes his character lovable and endearing. Whereas Aarti is pretty determined to make the most her education and the only expectations she has from the marriage is to be able to work post the wedding. Things don’t go as planned and what follows is vengeance and schmaltz! The director Ratnaa Sinha, amidst this basic plot of the story, attempts to add layers to the film by dealing with prevalent social issues like dowry, bribery, and patriarchy that continue to dwell in the lives and minds of Indians.

2017 can officially be declared as the ‘Year of Rajkummar Rao’

The actor needn’t prove his mettle because acting runs in his veins. This year just added further validation to the truth that existed in the universe which is- Rajkummar Rao is one of the best we have in the industry. Rajkummar’s transformation from a clerk to an IAS officer was swift and immaculate. All along Rao displayed various set of emotions, but the audience had one sentiment in place throughout the film, for the man of the hour – Love. We loved him as the supremely confident small-town boy who was pretty sure awkward was pronounced as ‘okward’ but we also loved him as the snob he was when he adorned the avatar of a Civil services Officer. Rajkummar steals every scene he’s in and you never get enough of him.

The charismatic Kriti !

Kriti Kharbanda made a rather dreary debut but Boy! this woman can act and she makes you skip a beat with that charisma and charm. Adorning the avatar of a rather focused and independent girl from a middle-class background, she made the portrayal look effortless. She’s gorgeous and even while she was cast opposite Rao, she made a mark in the film. The chemistry between the two is contagious and they set the screen on fire with their camaraderie and eye locks since the very first frame. The supporting cast of the film is impressive and does their part well but tend to go unnoticed at times because the film is essentially Kriti and Rajkummar’s. The cinematography of the film is impressive and the wedding scenes, particularly, have been captured with utmost brilliance.

The heartbreaking second half

When everything seems to be falling into place for the film, it’s in the second half that you begin to wonder if the film has any intentions of ending. The drama eventually starts to take a toll on you, yes, even with Rajkummar Rao because how much can the man possibly carry on his shoulders. The ego clashes and the constant pursuance of both the characters get you a tad bit frustrated. Also, there are few characters, apart from the leads, that haven’t been etched out well. They seem to disturb than binding the story and and their behaviour in the film leaves you confused. The songs of the film are unimpressive too with them being fit randomly in the film.