Shraddha Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor in a still from ‘Tu Jhootha Main Makkar’ | Photo Credit: T-Series/YouTube
Luv Ranjan The romantic comedy begins with defying fitness, dental and fashion goals, but sets family goals for a generation that celebrates instant gratification and individualism. It is set in a time when verbal insecurities fuel the market, turning breakups into an industry and lasting love into a niche sentiment with diminishing returns; Where commitment is deemed overrated and love as just another commodity to be bought after checking the expiry date. At the beginning of the film we are told “Pyaar hota hai ka baar hai”. While the subject matter is relevant, the performances are tight, and the mood is inherently cheerful, the nuts and bolts of the story demand suspension of disbelief.
Ranjan likes to look at relationships from a man’s point of view and here again the title makes it clear whose point of view it is. The difference from his previous films is that here he attempts to create a sense of gender equality when it comes to investing in love before deciding to stand behind the male protagonist. Even though it gently nudges the audience to see the point of view of a financially independent woman, the film propagates the notion that she sees a problem where none exist and much about nothing. does something
Tu Jhooti Me Makkar (Hindi)
Director: Luv Ranjan
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, Anubhav Kumar Bassi, Boney Kapoor
Runtime: 164 minutes
Storyline: A ‘Breakup’ star gets a taste of his own medicine when his new girlfriend turns cold ahead of their engagement
Unlike Imtiaz Ali or Karan Johar, Ranjan hardly sees anything ethereal in romance and reduces relationships to interactions between hormones and bank balances. He seems to have chosen his stories from a society where the attrition rate in both job and love is high. In his universe, the characters in a new India emerging around IT hubs clash with those based on traditional resources of wealth. Money is not a problem for both but their emotional portfolio is not rich enough and doesn’t really match. Instead of serenading, they attend each other’s games, because they don’t want to be tied down to one vacation, one car, one person, and their family.
Rohan or Mickey (Ranbir Kapoor) belongs to a business family discussing the pros and cons over a rich Punjabi meal. On the other hand, he runs a goofy start-up with his friend Dabas (Anubhav Kumar Bassi), representing the underclass who are trying to join the elite after selling their agricultural land.
On a holiday, Rohan finds his soul mate in Nisha or Tinni (Shraddha Kapoor), who works in Cyberhub, Gurugram. She shows off her swimwear, he bares his abs, and we get to see one long advertisement for new age romance. But as soon as Ranjan changes gears and Tinni dons a kurta pajama, we find that they are cut from the same old cloth. Tinny is in love with Mickey but does she want to invest her feelings in ‘Lala’ land, a euphemism for the business family where Mickey has his roots? There is a boy who wants to bring the moon for his girlfriend but also wants to buy some stars for his mother, father and sister on the way. But the girl considers love to be indirectly proportional to freedom in her life. Does a relationship guru have a solution? This is an age-old puzzle that Ranjan is trying to solve with today’s candor.
Behind the comic veneer, lies an engaging battle of viewpoints and it needed an actor of Ranbir’s class to do justice to it. He gives a lot of glory to the kind who turned Kartik Aaryan (he appears in a cameo) into a brand. The advertisements of the brands that Ranbir has promoted have shown a glimpse of a mischievous boy. Here he surrenders to Mickey’s eloquence with Shashi Kapoor-like flair, and when the transition takes place, he displays his mastery of embracing complex emotions. Shraddha isn’t necessarily a better actress than Ranjan’s resident muse Nushrat Bharucha by now, but she brings a kind of freshness to the filmmaking process because she’s been cast against type. She is unrestrained in the pool of water and effortlessly floats in the pool of emotions in the second half. However, the feisty view of an independent girl doesn’t come across, or maybe the director doesn’t want it to. Dimple Kapadia and Bassi provide good support and Pritam’s music is in sync with the pulse of the theme.
Unlike the protagonist, the film is truthful in what it wants to say. Perhaps, a few more drafts would have sharpened its approach and avoided the tired concept of going to the airport to settle the climax.
Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar is currently running in theatres.