Directors: Amit Joshi, Aradhana Sah
Cast: Dharmendra, Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, Dimple Kapadia, Rakesh Bedi, Rajesh Kumar, Anubha Fatehpuria
Where to watch: Theatres
Ratings 4 stars
Aryan Agnihotri (Shahid Kapoor), a talented, good-looking programmer at a robotics company, cannot find a compatible partner. During an assignment, he meets Sifra (Kriti Sanon), a beautiful, skilled assistant to Aryan's boss. They fall in love, and soon he discovers their love story is 'impossible'. Aryan has fallen for a robot, and he embarks on a journey to make his impossible love story possible.
Whenever the terms robots, artificial intelligence, and clones appear in our minds, we instantly think about the destruction and mayhem these advanced technology creations can do. Popular movies such as Terminator, I-Robot, The Sixth Day, Robot, and 2.0, have fed such thoughts in us. Thankfully, team Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya gives a light-hearted, comical twist, to this theme, and the results are pleasantly surprising.
Prior to release, the movie did not have much hype, which is why many were probably expecting an average entertainer, with some decent jokes and peppy dance numbers. But actually, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya is a laugh-riot, which can entertain the whole family. Also, it seamlessly blends the sci-fi and comedy genres.
Aryan falls in love with Sifra, and knowing the fact that their union is impossible, he decides to marry her and smartly convinces his parents for his big-fat wedding. The idea sounds absurd, but it is the conviction of the writer and director that made me believe in their story, and I got invested in Aryan-Sifra's crazy love drama.
During the first half, there was a moment, an intimate scene between the leads. While watching, I had this thought about how one can have sex with a robot and didn't even realise it. The writer-director duo smartly justified the scene and made it believable with pitch-perfect explanation and justification.
The first half of the film has a simple narrative, with few comical moments, and funny punchlines. The film peaks at the interval, but it also leaves you wondering if the director duo will be able to elevate the drama quotient from there.
The answer is quite smoothly. The movie takes a big leap in the second half, as Sifra meets Aryan's family, and they see her as their perfect bahu. The second half is sprinkled with hilarious and brilliantly-performed scenes that kept me glued till the end. One scene involving Sifra malfunctioning is a treat to watch.
Kriti Sanon is the soul of Teri Baaton Mein... After Mimi, she has again proved herself a more than competent performer, who can carry a film on her talented shoulders. If you have any doubts about her acting prowess, her performance as Sifra, where she blends comedy with some difficult portrayal of robotic emotion, will convince you. Her seamless performance made me forget Kriti, the actress, and I fell for Sifra, the robot.
It was so good to see Shahid back leading a family entertainer after years. This was a switch in genres from his recent works (Farzi, Bloody Daddy, etc). Shahid's reactions to comical situations, his punchlines (which were few), and the balance he maintained between drama and comedy are commendable. Shahid should do more such light-hearted films. Dharmendra had few lines but always evoked a burst of laughter. Dimple Kapadia, who plays Shahid's aunt and her boss, provides great support. Shahid's on-screen family, Rakesh Bedi, Ashish Verma, Grusha Kapoor, Rajesh Kumar and Raashul Tandon are hilarious and much-required additions to the cast.
There are a few shortcomings as well. Maybe giving more time to certain scenes, particularly the comic ones, would have made the film a lighter and better watch. But regardless, hats off to the conviction of makers for delivering a fresh family entertainer with a new jodi. Enjoy this mad-cap entertainer with your loved ones.
