Ayushmann Khurrana made one of the best debuts in recent history with ‘Vicky Donor’ but he went off track with lacklustre films like ‘Bewakoofiyaan’ and ‘Hawaizaada’. Yash Raj Films is going through a bit of a lull with most of their movies getting panned recently. The film hasn’t been promoted at all so the makers are clearly hoping that word of mouth will make them sail through.
Story: Prem Prakash Tewari is a man-boy living in Haridwar with his family. He is terrible at academics and his English is as weak as AB Divilliers’ attempts at bad cricket. The only thing that gives him happiness is spending time at his father’s record shop and listening to Kumar Sanu songs. Sandhya (Bhumi Pednekar) is an overweight innocent girl whose dream is to be a teacher. They are both married to each other even though Prem was against marrying her because of her weight. They have a tough married life with Prem never being too interested in her but Sandhya keeps giving her best. To bring them together, Prem’s mother convinces them to take part in a race where the wife sits pillion on the husband’s back.
Sharat Katariya has written, probably, the best film of the year so far and he’s directed it too. Dum Laga Ke Haisha is a big departure from the trifle that YRF has churned out recently. The delightfully heartwarming film is seeped in realism, in mohallas that ‘India’ resides in, in 1990s nostalgia, in audio cassettes, in simpler times without WhatsApp, in times where everything was simpler and more earnest. Sharat makes his mark with the treatment he has affected with his film. He’s won half the battle with his rooted writing and treatment. Yes, there are a few strands which don’t quite find fulfilment but those can be easily overlooked because Dum Laga Ke Haisha is too good a film otherwise and we need our filmmakers to be traveling to small towns of India to shoot their films. Sharat Katariya successfully manages to take us back to our childhood and invokes an unbridled sense of nostalgia.
Dum Laga Ke Haisha feels so real, so close to heart mainly because all the technical aspects have been aced by the people in charge of the respective departments. The cinematography is spot on as Dum Laga Ke Haisha has perfected the small time milieu feeling. The editing is also astute with none of the portions overstaying their welcome. The background is also delightful and matches the tone of the film.
The music of Dum Laga Ke Haisha is another highlight with veteran musician Anu Malik making a comeback with this film. His composing and Varun Grover’s lyrics take us back to the 1990s. The soundtrack has a song from almost every genre. Sundar Susheel and Dard Karara are very catchy and Kumar Sanu is a pleasant addition to the playback singing department. Moh Moh Ke Dhaage gives the film an edge in terms of the melody.
Acting: Dum Laga Ke Haisha rests squarely on the shoulders of its two lead actors – Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar. Ayushmann plays the hard to like Prem (or Lappu) and manages to tug at our heartstrings with his nonchalance. The accent could have been better, though. But the find of Dum Laga Ke Haisha is definitely the lead actress Bhumi Pednekar who had to gain some weight to play the part. She is infectious, charming and manages to win everybody’s heart right from the start. The chemistry between the lead pair is unusual but it works and how. Prem and Sandhya remind us of married couples we see almost on a daily basis. Sanjay Mishra, Seema Pahwa and Sheeba Chaddha are also fantastic in their supporting roles and lend Dum Laga Ke Haisha an extra bit of credibility.
Overall, Dum Laga Ke Haisha is one of the best, most heartwarming films made in recent times. It is amazingly acted, beautifully written and perfectly brought together. The pace of the film may seem boring to a few people but if you stay with it and go along the flow then you are sure to love Dum Laga Ke Haisha. It takes us back to the best years of our lives, invokes a feeling of deep nostalgia in us and makes us laugh, smile and cry. Dum Laga Ke Haisha deserves to be seen by as many people as possible. Give it a chance and you will not regret it.
At the box office, Dum Laga Ke Haisha is one of those rare films that deserves to do well at the box office. Unfortunately, it has taken a poor start and the film will now rely on word-of-mouth to carry it through to safety.
Bhumi Pednekar Pics:
