Cinemaah

Pleasant Surprise


When you have almost given up on being surprised by anything mainstream cinema throws up, and have no expectations from a film as boringly titled as Band Baaja Baaraat…  you get an enjoyable romantic film. 

Directed by newcomer Maneesh Sharma, the film has nothing novel in terms of plot, but the treatment is fresh and the film is suffused with a joie de vivre that is infectious.

The director also shoots docu style in Delhi mohallas and seedy bazaars,  with mostly unknown (and very good) actors.  He also catches the capital’s nouveau riche vibe and the Delhi-accented sparkly dialogue falls pleasantly on the ears.

Bittoo (Ranveer Singh) is a village boy, dreading the idea of returning to his father’s sugarcane farms after he graduates. Her runs into bright and ambitious Shruti (Anushka Sharma) and inveigles himself into her wedding planner business (“binnis” he calls it in his desi accent-- cute).  First he has to promise not to be anything more than a friend, because she does not believe in mixing work with romance.  Her aim is to reach the posh Sainik Farms via downmarket colonies.

Their company Shaadi Mubarak delivers great weddings each time and prospers, but Shruti breaks her own rule and falls for Bittoo, who is too confused to reciprocate. It results in a bitter break-up of the business.

After this, the pace slows down, till the film reaches the inevitable end,  but BBB is worth a look for its homespun charm, the ordinariness and ‘Dilliness’ of the characters and the performances by the lead pair who fit perfectly into their parts.