Firstly, apologies to all my readers for being away from the blog for quite sometime now. There is a lot I have to catch up on. So, keep watching this space as more reviews and YouTube channel recommendations are on their way.
Let’s talk about Haseen Dillruba now. With no internet connectivity for almost 15 days, Haseen Dillruba is the first film I watched using mobile data. And I do not regret it. It is undoubtedly entertaining. It keeps you hooked for the longest time possible. Still, it is not a great film to watch. Contradictory? Yes, it is!
The story has many loopholes. It is not convincing at all.
I do not know about others, but the moment they said ‘puri body jal gayi,’ I guessed the plot. No surprises here, my guess was correct. If you too have watched Haseen Dillruba or are planning to watch it next, let me know in the comments below if you guessed the end right.
Not only is the story predictable but it is also problematic. When you watch it, you might not immediately realise it because the film keeps surprising and shocking you, not giving you much time to think. Engaging storytelling is a plus point of the film. It involves you in the plot. Even though you guess the story right in the very beginning, you play with multiple plots in your head thinking that the end might not be what you think it is.
Now, the not-so-good part of the story. This so-called love story is toxic. Make Rishu the lead here or let Rani be the protagonist, from no one’s angle is it a love story. As the film tries to justify Rishabh’s multiple attempts to kill Rani by saying that only because he loved her to the extent of insanity is he now trying to kill her is like serving toxicity on a silver plate. Bollywood’s idea of love has always been bizarre. For them, love and sanity just don’t go hand-in-hand.
I don’t understand why storytellers are so obsessed with emotional abuse and toxicity being called love?
Dear readers, no matter what, if you are on the receiving end of violence or emotional/psychological abuse, irrespective of your gender, please walk out of the relationship. Holding on to a toxic relationship is not romantic. Films are far away from reality. Please, do not idealise fiction.
Coming back to the good part of the story, it’s Vikrant Massey and Yamini Das’ performances. Who is Yamini Das? The lady who played Vikrant Massey’s mother in the film. You know what? This film would have been such a success if Rishabh would have listened to his mother and have not married Rani. Oh yes, then this could have been a love story. But Rani? Ladki toh kabhi sanskari aur sushil thi hi nahi, babu bhaiyya.
The moral of the story is, ‘MOTHER KNOWS BEST.’
Speaking of Vikrant’s performance, he is a treat to watch. I must say, Vikrant does character transformations really well. That is why I loved his performance in Criminal Justice as well. I think, in a few years’ time, he will be able to conduct workshops on how to do character transformations. From being an innocent, naïve, boy-next-door to almost a psycho killer, his performance makes you question the goodness of this good guy.
Where there was Vikrant Massey, there was also Tapsee Pannu, ruining it all with her bad performance. Her dialogue delivery has started to irritate me now. Same expressions and the same tone of voice. She may be a good actress, but still, a lot of hard work is required on her part to master the craft. There is a scene between Rishu and Rani where Rishu finally accepts her as his wife. It was an intense scene, high on emotions but that scene looked so dull and emotionless. Partly a director’s mistake, majorly an actor’s mistake. It seemed like there is no emotional connect between the characters. As I was discussing this film with my friend, she put my feeling while watching this scene into exact words. And that was it – the ‘WARMTH’ was missing (in the scene and the film).
Keep the story aside. India accepts any and every kind of love story if it has the right amount of love in it. That is why filmmakers prefer to play it safe and invest in love stories more than intellectual, creative, or mind-twisting stories. But Haseen Dillruba couldn’t even become a good love story. All thanks to the weak lead protagonist.
If you haven’t watched Haseen Dillruba yet, should you? Of course, you should. It will entertain you for sure. But in the end, don’t hesitate to ask logical questions.
Streaming On: Netflix