Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 Review: With very little novelty, it's a guy film about women bashing

Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 
Cast: Kartik Arya, Nushrat Bharucha, Sonalli Sehgall, Ishita Sharma, Sunny Singh
Director: Luv Ranjan
Rating : ***

What's it about: 
Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 caters to two types of audiences. Those who have seen the prequel and wondered why it took so long for a follow up and the second who are new to the franchise. I fall in the latter category having watched the follow up as a stand alone film. The plot is basic, it isn't rocket science, neither does it appeal to the grey matter. Three guys Gogo (Kartik Aryan), Sidharth (Sunny Singh) and Thakur (Omkar Kapoor) fall for three different girls Ruchika (Nusrat Bharucha), Surpiya (Sonalli Sehgal) and Kusum (Ishita Rai) who portray the stereotypes that girls have got typecast into. For example, Ruchika is the annoying girlfriend who makes her guy make peace with the fact that he's in a relationship where three is a crowd, or Supriya who refuses to commit to her boyfriend, and Kusum who puts money first without understanding that feelings can also be important. What makes the film watchable and fun is the writing. There are several scenes that stand out because of the witty dialogues or relatable plot line. The guys will love this, while the girls,well they will snigger in protest! 

What's hot:
The cast is definitely right. There is an easy camaraderie between Kartik, Sunny and Omkar that makes the trio likeable and interesting. The same holds for the girls. Luv Ranjan manages to create characters than caricatures in a genre that doesn't really demand much attention. But if you go in expecting a few guy jokes, some sexist yet funny one-liners and a good looking ensemble then you won't be disappointed. The cinematography is also worth mentioning, especially the way the songs have been shot. There is a certain freshness to the way Ranjan lights up every frame. Special attention has been paid to make sure the setting looks 2015, be it the mobile phones they use, their clothes or set decor, everything sort of falls in line with the plot. Kartik having done this before is more at ease and relaxed than the other two, but that doesn't take away the charm that Omkar brings to every scene or Sunny's ability to do a serious scene with equal confidence. Among the girls Nusrat has the most exciting character to play and she goes for the kill. Her annoying and bitchy girlfriend who lets her BFF's rule her world is spot on. Very Regina George from Mean Girls! The highlight is the parody on a cigarette smoking infomercial that is played before every movie, the guys just take the hilarity up several notches with this one! 

What's not:
Those who have seen the first half might suffer from the 'been there watched that' fatigue. There is very little novelty in terms of figuring out where the story is heading. We sort of know what the climax will be and every character gets predictable post interval. Especially when Ranjan frames linear scenes where we are watching the unravelling of their relationships, it's almost like being on a carousel and knowing when the ride will end. Now lets get to the infamous epic monologue which was the USP of the first! We have all seen it and full marks to Kartik for taking on a three page dialogue, but the impact of the second one sort of fails to live up to the huge expectation. It starts off well, picks up pace, but loses steam and gets caught up in the attempt to 'let's create a record of the longest monologue ever'!. Also, none of the girls really do anything different or spring up a surprise, the bitchy one just stays bitchy, the manipulative and over-obsessive girl decides to play the act till the very end, so there is a definite lack of originality when it comes to judging the material. 

What to do:
Yes, it's a guy film about women bashing, but PKP2 has sparks of some brilliant writing, a feel good cast and some hilarious moments that you just can't miss! Watch it with your guy friends to enjoy it the most.