Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar

polarising reactions across the internet, I thought before I get into the spoiler filled talk regarding several themes of the movie, I could tell you the atmosphere in which I saw this film. Usually press shows are this loud echo chamber of opinions where everyone strokes their ego to agree with one another: the atmosphere is such that they start sighing and reacting in such a way to every beat of the film that one starts believing if he thinks otherwise, that his assessment of the film may just be wrong. Conversations are flung around while in the theatre before the movie has started: already crapping on the individuals associated with the film, making one believe how many have landed up in the theatre with a preconceived notion of how they want to feel vs actually acknowledging what the movie set out to achieve and being in the moment. Irrespective, this is one of the main reasons I try to stay away from press shows but the need of the hour due to Holi called for it and I saw the commercial rom com directed by Luv Ranjan and there’s a lot to pack in regarding the movie so let’s get to discussing in finer detail what worked and did not work and you also do chime in with the same! I also have to tell you that a lot of my content beyond Youtube and my Instagram stories are also being published on the Nokio app. A community where you can see my reviews in written form and on video where we can build a community recommending each other films across languages. Users can watch my reviews on Nokio itself and share it with their friends too so do check it out, I’ll put the link of the app and profile in the description box below. The film first presents how Mickey and Dabbas as a side hustle help individuals break up with their respective partners. The opening sequence works really well for getting the ball rolling and while the break up is successful, I thought the introduction shot of Ranbir Kapoor was the quintessential urban Bollywood hero entry that is packaged perfectly as the theme song the played in the trailer of the film commences and immediately transitions to PYAAR HOTA KAYI BAAR HAI which has matured like fine wine I must say. The transition from the films storyline and drama to the songs is almost seamless and its after a long time the music has engaged viewers and made them tap their feet and look in awe of the choreography as it represents the the old school format of commercial Bollywood movies that we initially fell in love with. The moment however Mickey’s family is introduced and the opening shot showcases Dimple Kapadia shouting at the top of her lungs, I could not help but squint my eyes and cover my ears at the sheer decibel level at which these dialogues were being delivered. The case of an expressive PUNJABI khaandaan that is slap happy is introduced with such overwhelming energy, that I felt as if Dimple Kapadia’s vocal chords must be struggling because there was such a projection of forced mom energy. It may be tough to believe that privileged brats who while running multiple businesses still have a break up service but its essentially the free time most LALA’S have in the Delhi NCR region so I dont understand why people are thinking that its unbelievable. Their GAEDI is essentially this side hustle. The movie struggles to hit any punchlines and zingers in its initial running minutes. Somehow the writing of Luv Ranjan and Rahul Mody just don’t pack the inventive punch required for these situations. Like the funeral sequences of Dabbas breaking down because he believes his partner loves him too much and he would never be able to give the same energy back. It just doesn’t generate that laugh out loud moment! The situation reminded me of Wedding Crashers where Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson think that picking up girls at the funeral is the best opportunity because they are the most emotionally vulnerable at that point, only in this case hooking up is exchanged with breaking their heart. The brief laughs come when Dabbas, Mickey and the niece have a debrief meeting as the little kid makes herself an appy fizz peg and enquires about her share in the family business, asking TOH KAB MAR RAHE HO TUM SAB. I wonder where the child actor Inayat Verma gets her confidence but I guess some kids are just born naturals. It think if there is a mass entry in TU JHOOTHI MAIN MAKKAR, it has to be the unreleased song MAINE PEE RAKHI HAI which is an absolute banger. Its crazy on just the sheer energy Shraddha and Ranbir exude in the song and I can’t wait for a lot of you to see the choreography because it is a certified post release banger. Its probably the best choreographed number from the movie. The struggle to connect with the dialogues however continues in the first half where the flirtatious dialogues is a lot of absurd analogies like ABHI TOU MOHALLE MEIN POCHANCHA HOON TAADOONGA PHIR PERMISSION BHI MAANG LOONGA or while falling in love with her as she hogs on a croissant saying, ABH TOH MERA CHIPAK NE KA MANN KAR RAHA HAI. Then I started to wonder regarding the question that was posed, why are they talking to each other like this? Do people really talk in hyperbole, in analogies constantly. Then I thought it clearly represents the front that you present to your summer fling, it is anything but the real you! I sometimes equate it to the fun banter of the Corsica portions in Tamasha. It's all filmy, on the surface, kind of pretence before reality sets in. Exaggerated intentionally so that one does not get a glimpse of their real self, at least momentarily. I still can’t defend the comedy punchlines that don’t land and the incessant motor mouth rambling that is intended to be funny because let’s be honest they just don’t land but the exaggerated and performative pitch at which both characters speak to each other in my opinion is intentional. I dont think anyone will deny that the both the leads look absolutely exceptional in each frame. I worried whether the films aesthetic would look too plastered with just the perfect looking characters but its easy on the eye and both the actors bounce off of each others energy really well, had they been handed over better dialogues during the infatuation stage, I think it would have elevated the quality of the film even more! Because Ranbir ranting constantly, making BASSI say KI ISSE KOI CHUP KARWAO was all of us in the theatre. I have to give credit however the meta jokes that are sprinkled in the films screenplay, Ranbir calling himself EK TARFA PYAAR KA BRAND AMBASSADOR made me chuckle a little too loudly. The moment also Shraddha asks Ranbir as he proposes BHAAGEGA TOH NAHI, reminded me of the conversation between Kat and Ethan in Euphoria that if there is bound to be someone whose heart is broken in this equation, he’s going to make sure its him! The moment the movie really shines is post TERE PYAAR MEIN, as Mickey introduces Tinny to his family. Micky being scolded by his sister and mother assuming that he has made Tinny where a Kurta in their first meeting is hilarious. I could imagine my family having the same conversations with me, reprimanding me if I ever told a girl to conform. The case of the family stalking the soon to be Bahu on the internet is every family’s reality, hopeful that this may be the one for their son. The awkwardness that follows in knowing that Tinny hasn’t told her parents, the embarrassment of Dimple Kapadia who rejects the CHAAP and wants a drink to get over that moment and Tinny being interrogated about Micky, his qualifications and his ability to provide are all moments that seemed organic and so many peoples reality before taking the plunge! People already assumed that this being a LUV RANJAN movie, there is bound to be sexism where the woman will be either the manipulative wamp or the compromising damsel in distress who leaves her independence at the cost of the man. The preconceived notions for a film and its creators, especially on their personal lives is what kills movie discussions because the discourse is not about the movie and its storyline but the directors filmography and the actors personal lives, one of the most frustrating aspects of Bollywood movie discourse in this day and age. This movie is far from the tropes that one assumes will be associated with a luv Ranjan project and the crazy part is that the most deep and nuance portions of the film are barely being discussed in the mainstream, is it because they dont want to give credit where credit is due or they want to be stuck in their ways and be ignorant of the same, so lets do our bit in exploring the same. You see glimpses of Shraddha Kapoor feel claustrophobic of the sheer lack of space that Mickeys family gives to them as a couple, landing up everywhere, barely having alone time together. Knowing that she would never want to Mickey to choose between her and his family, she wants an out without seeming like she cornered him into making a choice. I was reading a review that said the movie essentially is two people gaslighting each other until they have the talk but that essentially is every situational comedy no? A comedy of errors follow as one hides an uncomfortable conversation, only for it to get revealed and in retrospect think that it was so dumb to keep the secret from you. The only faulty aspect of TU JHOOTHI MAIN MAKKAR beyond the secret being kept is I still can’t buy into the fact that Shraddha Kapoor does not recognise Mickey’s voice in the phone calls. He gets to know that its her seeking for advice to break up with him and even BASSI exclaims, TU USKI AWAZ NAHI PEHCHANA PAYA KOOD JA TU ISSI BAAT PE, which I feel holds true for Shraddha as well who catches on far too late in the movie. Ranbir wants to play the game of deception and wit as he feels challenged and his ego seems bruised and this is where the hilarious cameos follow. Kartik Aaryan had an absolute ball in his brief time I must say, from the dialogue BAALON PE KUCH MAT KEHNA, referencing his own Lamborghini, RALIA and the case of not knowing the shipping name, an Aashiqui 2 song and Shraddha about to start the iconic PROBLEM YEH HAI KI rant and being stopped in her tracks, the jealousy test was so much fun to see! The loyalty test with Nusrat also accounts for a great moment where Ranbir ugly cries and breaks down in front of her, frustrating Shraddha, knowing that Ranbir is two steps ahead of her or just a loyal boyfriend. Bassi becomes the voice of reason, reminding Mickey, MAZA AANA BAND HO GAYA NA. And I think the moment Shraddha want’s out before the engagement the uncomfortable conversation they have is two actors being in fine form. Mickey is intentionally aggressive and rude, calling Tinny dumb, being condescending and disrespectful intentionally so that she breaks up with him. This scene out of context can easily come across as a case of problematic romantic equations but its being done to sabotage the relationship. This is where I was scared, hopeful that Luv does not transition the story to make Shraddha and her choices the villain because she is right in her own way to have these choices and so is Mickey who doesn’t want to compromise with his family. An awkward conversation, SHOW ME THE THUMKA, an injury and Mickey’s family taking care of her only for the niece to reveal the truth leads to the real conversation we were waiting for. And this is where I feel Luv Ranjan does not get enough credit because the argument between the couple is about their moral stand point and both of them are not judged for their choices. Shraddha wanting to separate her partner and her family, noticing her own mother and what she had to sacrifice is not shown from a judgmental lens neither is Mickey’s love for his family and wanting a future where everyone lives happily together. Both love each other and want to be together and embrace each other with a sense of warmth but just can’t reach mid way for what they strongly believe in, a take on modern relationships that is an absolute rarity in the commercial rom com space. The last 30 minutes post this conversation is heartfelt because it showcases a family that doesn’t want to let go of a perfect girl for their son and more importantly acknowledge that they can mend their ways because the last thing that they would want their son to do is sacrifice something or someone, the root cause of it being the family itself. I think none of this is being discussed in the mainstream and the movie is being passed off as something generic but these points are really fresh ideas in a genre that is mostly frivolous and on the surface. Boney Kapoor’s deadpan delivery and the car conversation of the family blaming each other for Tinny distancing herself really generated the most laughs in the theatre and despite several problems of the films narrative, especially in the first half: I had fun watching a quintessential Bollywood rom com that said more than most films in recent times. One is not ignoring its issues but one can’t absolutely discount its merits as well!