Tragedy served with entertainment

Qismat 2 begins with a loud background score, as seen in almost all the Punjabi films, forcibly generating a comic feel. It then moves into flashback showcasing college life and romance between the lead couple, again using the stale references of the discovery channel and its commentary (in Hindi). The narration gets lifted the moment Bani (Sargun Mehta) comes on screen in some unusual attires for a college-going girl in Punjab. Shiv (Ammy Virk) also gets into form as the girl shines brightly with her charming smile.

Then the film successfully holds your interest through a progressive sequence, sharply commenting upon the boy-girl relationship and the age-old social mindset.

Ironically, post the long sequence pointing towards Sargun’s off-shoulder dress, the director never presents her in any such revealing costume again in the remaining college sequences, contradicting his own point. Moving over the college life, the film yet again goes back to the same old familiar path inspired by Hindi cinema, and this time it is Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) with an added twist of a tragedy.

Thankfully, it is this second hour in which both Ammy and Sargun excel in their emotional scenes and interactions. The post-intermission part can also be called a sequel or extension of DDLJ’s plot post the girl’s marriage with a shocking twist. However, while the performances impress, the narration oscillates between entertainment and emotional tragedy, forcibly bringing in some comical moments introducing a love triangle. That said, it still ends on a heart-wrenching note, respectfully presenting the two eternal lovers getting united forever. Overall, Qismat 2, directed by Jagdeep Sidhu, can easily be called a nice, musical, emotionally moving, family entertainment package carefully conceived by the team. But this tick-allboxes kind of execution also makes me think about how we have lost the art of making sensitive, lifetransforming movies, not worried about the entertainment quotient. How calm and sad moments are not given any longer stay on the screen in our present cinema and how tragedies are so hurriedly depicted in the new format, diluting their emotional impact.

That is probably why I strongly felt it could have been a much better film as a love tragedy with less focus on comedy, entertainment, and songs. Particularly I couldn’t understand the use of Hindi lyrics in its soundtrack and also a confusing couplet, in the end, mismatching its characterisation. In short, Qismat 2 belongs to Ammy and Sargun together, redefining love on the screen.