Krish (Arjun Kapoor) walks into IIM Ahemdabad and runs into Ananya (Alia Bhatt) in the food queue in the canteen. They become friends and later, lovers. All is fun and games and lots of rolling in the hay. Chetan Bhagat's heroines jump into the bed with the heros without acting coy or any rona dhona about lost virginity, which is quite refreshing. However, good times don't last. Soon, it is graduation time and Krish and Ananya have to think about their future. It is now time to face the real world.Jobs are obviously not a problem for an IIM Graduate. They get placements without any problem. It is their marriage they have a problem with. Or rather, their parents have a problem with. You see, Ananya is a Tamilian Iyer and our Krish is a Punjabi.
Typically what should ensue here is the usual descent into stereotypical situations involving Punjabis and Tamilians. To his credit, the director does not go there.
Now the question is, where DOES the director go?
Alas, the script does not give him any aces, and the film falls flat. Which is a pity.
The parents are dull and unexciting.
Alia's accent has no trace of a Southie girl.
Poor Arjun looks not a whit like a Punjabi boy. He is totally lassi.
The songs are barely memorable.
As soon as the couple decide to get married and the parents come into the picture, the chemistry between the couple drops to a zero.
The audience adrenaline drops so hard after interval that all you heard was chatter and click click of mobile phones.
The first almost-half of the movie was really good, full of fun and rollicking. The Chennai part was quite funny in parts. Strangely, it was the Punjabi part that fell flat. Punjabis are supposed to personify fun. But there was too much un-explained angst and too little fun.
There was much to-do about Krish writing a book called 2 States. It was perhaps a big moment for the fans with whom Chetan Bhagat has a Guru like status.
The friend who accompanied me said the movie was a ditto copy of the book. That explains a lot.
Absolutely true Ava. The film lacks a tadka!
ReplyDeleteAnon,
ReplyDeleteWe Indians cannot digest a tadka-less daal.
"The friend who accompanied me said the movie was a ditto copy of the book. That explains a lot."
ReplyDeleteLOL! I've heard very contrary reviews of this film. You and another friend trashed it; an ex-colleague (whose taste I don't know much about, admittedly) said it was good, andmy bhabhi (who is a friend of Chetan Bhagat's) raved about it.
Now I know. :-)
Madhu, When I saw the cinema hall (do we still call it that?) filled with young people, I wondered if they were there for Chetan Bhagat or the two young stars. I am guessing quite a few were there because of CB. He does have a following, like it or not.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with you on this one.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am shocked to know that your friend did think it was close to the book :O
no ways!
he left so much to be covered anyways.
I found it dead bore in the second half and almost goes nowhere.
Is that so, Rohit? I did not read the book, so I cannot say.
ReplyDeleteBut yes, I was fidgeting like mad in the second half.
so you wanted to see caricatures of Punjabi and Tamil characters?
ReplyDeleteWhen I read the book, I liked the beginning and also the middle part, but then I felt CB was pitying himself too much.
Nahi Harvey,
ReplyDeleteI rather liked it that caricatures were not used. But surely a bit of drama!
It was absolutely flat.
Your comment about Ananya not having a Southie accent - Ava, you do realise that all Southies do not speak Hindi with a 'Madrasi' accent, do you not? :)
ReplyDeleteMehmood has a lot to answer for!
The film was a bore, but Alia Bhatt was delightful. Chetan Bhagat's novels aren't very good unless the director decides to rewrite the script - as was done for Kai Po Che. There, the director took two years to rework Bhagat's novel and make it a good film. Even Bhagat admitted that the film was better than the novel.
That said, Two States was o-kay. Not great, not even 'good' but o-kay.
No Anu :) I did not know that. I am learning. I am young, and will know more by and by.
ReplyDeleteI just adore Alia. She was the best thing about this movie.