Starring: Arjun Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Amrita Singh, Revathi and Ronit Roy
Rating: ***1/2
Directed by: Abhishek Varman
What it's about:
An adaptation of Chetan Bhagat's biographical book by the same name 2 States: A Story of My Marriage. It's about a boy from north India (Krish) who meets a girl from south (Ananya) India in IIM Ahmedabad and fall in love with each other. Step 2? To convince his Punjabi mother and her Tamil parents to get to agree to their marriage.
What's good:
The best thing about Two States is that it is fresh -- in the casting, the approach, and the language. It's the kind of romcom that makes you go 'hmmm' rather than 'awwww.' The language spoken by all the characters is no different from one used by everyday people, and it's not like actors saying lines. From the make-out scenes to the fights between the couple, it's all very life-like and non-filmi. They say the book is always better..I haven't read the book but after watching the film, I have no desire to read it either, because first time director Abhishek Varman makes it such a complete experience. The north-south divide makes for some great moments (and dialogues) which have have you laughing out aloud, more than a few occasions. Arjun and Alia have great screen dynamics. They could have it in them to be the next best hot screen jodi after Ranbir-Katrina and Ranveer-Deepika, if they play it right. Alia Bhatt owns her role. It is clear she was born to do this. Arjun, who doubles as a narrator impresses with a role totally unlike anything he has done before. Two States has a solid supporting cast. Amrita Singh as Krish's mom is fantastic, as is Ronit Roy. The good thing is that it shows the language of love as it is today. Not the Bollywood version of it, which is totally unrelatable. In the end, Two States is more meaningful for what it does (hopefully changing mindsets) rather than for what it is about -- a story of one couple.
What's not:
In a film this real, one wishes the director had done away with sequences of the back-up dancers and syncronised dancing in the songs. It works beautifully when the songs play in the background and they take the story forward. The first half is light and breezy and the second dramatic and emotional, perhaps a better balance would have helped the post interval portion which seems heavy.
What to do:
Watch it with friends.
