Movie review: 'Hasee Toh Phasee' is a different take on modern day romance

Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Parineeti Chopra, Adah Sharma, Manoj Joshi, Sharat Saxena

Director: Vinil Mathew

Rating: ***

What's it about

Nikhil (Sidharth) accidentally bumps into Meeta (Parineeti) at her sisters wedding that she's running away from. Seven years later they again happen to meet each other. This time around Nikhil is marrying Meeta's other sister  Karishma (Adah). However, Meeta isn't any ordinary girl, there's a history to her strange behavior where she eats toothpaste,speaks fluent chinese and has her own theories explaining events leading up to where she's come in life.  Hasee Toh Phasee might sound like a simple love story between two strangers who meet under odd circumstances, but beneath the fluff there is a complex subtext of a father-daughter relationship as well. There are a dozen odd supporting characters from both the families and a Punjabi wedding serves as the backdrop for a musical climax. 

What's hot

The lead pair of Sidharth  and Parineeti  make Hasee Toh Phasee enjoyable and believeable. This odd pairing works only because these two actors take an effort to play their characters with utmost sincerity. Be it Sid's constant attempt to impress Karishma and his father-in-law (Manoj Joshi) or Meeta's contagious chid like effervescence, these two perform beyond expecatations and hit the bulls-eye. Sidharth has improved as an actor and is easy on the eye, relaxed and super comfortable even in the difficult scenes. Parineeti sheds her inhibitions and takes to Meeta like someone starving for a well written role. She milks it and uses her body language and expressions to make subtle nuances about her character stand out. The writing is fresh and the one liners, especially the humorous bits are well scripted. The ACP Pradyuman and Daya scene will have everyone in splits. Music is in sync with the mood of the film and the ballads Zehnaseeb and Ishq Bulava are beautifully picturised.

What's not

HTP has to two parallel tracks going on in its 141 minutes screen time. One is the romance between Nikhil and Meeta and the other is the story about her estranged relationship with her father. Trying to make these two reach a common ground and culminate in one final climax seemed bit of an effort. There should have been  more meat to Meeta's background story explaining her erratic behavior or throwing some light on her genious polymer invention. The track about her stay in China seemed abrupt and half baked. The story takes a bit of a beating before reaching its climax, especially in Meeta's final meeting with her father which could have done away with the expected waterworks and dramatics. 

What to do 

Watch it if you want to see a different take on modern day romance. Hasee Toh Phasee is worth a watch for a solid act put together by its lead pair.