Could Manmarziyaan be the best romantic film of our times?
Anita Iyer explains why Anurag Kashyap should make more love stories
There are love stories and then there are stories that leave behind a lingering taste – Manmarziyaan falls in the latter category.
Rumi (Taapsee Pannu) and Vicky (Vicky Kaushal) are free-spirited lovers based in Amritsar. Their families have made peace with the fact that the couple can’t live without each other, and yet they don’t interfere when they see things falling apart.
Vicky is a little-known musician, who goes by the name DJ Sandz. He makes it his routine to jump terraces in the neighbourhood for fyaar (as their romantic rendezvous is referred to in the film) with Rumi. But he isn’t yet ready to take on any responsibility, so when Rumi’s family wants to meet him, he doesn’t turn up. An angry Rumi then agrees to marry anyone, according to the wishes of her family. It is at this juncture that Robbie (Abhishek Bachchan), a banker from London, lands at her doorstep.
Anurag Kashyap, who is known for his grim gangster films, proves that he can switch gears. He handles this proverbial love triangle with great ease. Kanika Dhillon brings forth a story that is raw and can resonate across generations. The beauty of the film is that each lead character is fleshed out luxuriously, without any haste, and the actors take it to another level. While they may seem unreasonable at times, it is not impossible to see why they behave the way they do.
The conflict and confusion in the minds of the trio – Rumi and Vicky who love each other and yet can’t be together to Robbie who knows about their relationship and yet wants to marry Rumi – surface beautifully in the movie. Vicky is loud, boisterous and shows off his moves as he grooves to his music, inspired by the likes of Yo! Yo! Honey Singh and Badshah. He is instantly likeable and so is his partner, Rumi, a raging tomboy and a rebel without a cause. Abhishek delivers a nuanced and measured performance as Robbie and his obsession to marry a girl madly in love with someone else will keep you puzzled.
Amit Trivedi’s folksy, Punjabi music is placed intricately in the film, and although there are multiple songs, they don’t obstruct the flow but rather work as an adhesive to hold the movie together.
The plot has an unpredictability factor, in spite of it being predictable. Wait with bated breath as the director delivers a well-scripted climax filled with moments that will make you question why he hadn’t made a romantic film yet.
Sylvester Fonseca’s efforts as the cinematographer are top notch and so is the editing by Aarti Bajaj, although few people did complain about the length leading to the intermission. In defence, good things take time, as they should.
Manmarziyaan delivers the angst, the duality of characters, and muddled minds of the ‘Tinder generation’ that many new-age films fail to bring to the fore. It is a fulfilling love story that is crafted with care and is a must watch.
Movie: Manmarziyaan
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Abhishek Bachchan, Vicky Kaushal Directed by: Anurag Kashyap