Do Aur Do Pyaar

Do Aur Do Pyaar" might be flying under the radar in terms of marketing, but its impactful plot deserves to be discovered. This emotional roller coaster promises a theatrical experience on the big screen.

The film boasts impeccable performances from its entire cast, taking audiences on a two-hour plus journey filled with depth and emotion. Pratik Gandhi and Vidya Balan shine, stealing the spotlight with their compelling portrayals. Even with limited screen time, Illena and Sendhil deliver noteworthy performances. Thalaivasal Vijay adds genuine emotional depth to every scene he graces.

The plot unfolds slowly and steadily, akin to a live theatre performance translated onto the big screen. While this style might not appeal to everyone, it offers a refreshing change from typical mainstream cinema.

"Do Aur Do Pyaar" attempts to bring Netflix-style content to cinemas, blending depth with entertainment. This film is a must-watch, especially for its outstanding performances that elevate the narrative to new heights.

Kavya Ganesan and Ani Banerjee are on the verge of separation after 12 years into their marriage. Both are having affair with Vikram and Nora, respectively. Vikram is a photographer and Nora is an aspiring actress, both love their respective partners for who they are while Kavya and Ani resort to their pretend selves in their marriage. Just when they are finally planning to tell each other about ending the marriage, sparks fly enough to let them rekindle their love story. What happens when Kavya and Ani want to give themselves another chance while Vikram and Nora get restless waiting, forms rest of the story.

Sendhil as Vikram and Ileana as Nora are good but they are pushed to play second fiddle as the film truly belongs to Vidya Balan and Pratik Gandhi as they bring Kavya and Ani alive on screen. It is a complex story dealing with complex emotions and since I have not seen the original, I truly enjoyed the narrative getting driven by the conversations alone between Kavya and Ani. Those innuendos, the flirting and to keep the treatment as casual as possible is what worked the best for this film. However, bollywood's desperation for happy ending to be the only acceptable resolution, undid the efforts of the charming duo. It truly could have ended up as a superb film rather than a film with few superb moments. I hope the writers had put the same faith on their screenplay which they put on their lead pair.

The concept has been taken from Azazel Jacobs's movie The lover, but only the concept. The Lovers has a tight screenplay around our four main characters in their late 50s. This is an Indianized version with young characters in their late 30s, parents melodrama, divorce n all. Too much is happening in this movie that takes away from the main theme of the movie, dynamics between old-ly wed. More time has been devoted to world building and characters interacting to it, irrespective of if this interaction is directly related to their relationship with each other. Tone of the movie is different than The Lovers and so, the characters reacting to the events is different. Acting of Pratik Gandhi and Vidya Balan is incomparable to that of Tracy Letts and Debra Winger, but good in their respective characters. Recommended to people who like Bollywood masala, and not who loved The Lovers.

Interwoven complex mature relationships, this category of movies has a separate fan base & I am not one of them. So as far as my viewing prowess goes, Arth (1982) by Mahesh Bhatt was one of the first of its kind followed by Astitva (2000) by Mahesh Manjrekar but both these were pretty serious movies, but the recent ones are served with a dash of humour (Remember De De Pyar De - 2019) and for this who better than Vidya Balan. She was amazing in the movie & thanks to the team for rendering the classic - Bin tere sanam on some of the grooviest dance steps by Vidya Balan & Pratik Gandhi. Both Pratik Gandhi & Vidya Balan have made this average storyline work just because of their performances. Unexpectedly but on a good note the music and the songs were equally good. Ileana too shines in a short cameo. Would have really worked well for the production house if it was only an OTT release. This is a type of movie which will be mostly enjoyed by couples in their late 30's to early 40's & going through a bit of a turmoil in their existing marriage. An excellent weekend watch with your partner over a cup of cold coffee.

This movie is a romcom with a difference in the sense that the lead couple Kavya ( Vidya Balan) and Aniruddh ( Pratik Gandhi ) have been married for quite some time ( beyond the seven year itch ) and they now find that the fun, romance and spark are no longer there. ( Years earlier they had dated, fallen in love, eloped and got married ) . Now on a rebound they get involved with outsiders, she with Vikram ( Sendhil Ramamurthy) a foreign based photographer and he with Rosie a budding actress ( Ilena D'Cruz) and both are able to keep it a secret from each other. Due to an unexpected turn of events during a visit to Ooty they gradually become attached to each other once again after many years and after some time realise the futility of engaging in extramarital affairs.

Director Shirsha Guha Thakurta has made an interesting movie. The plot is fairly appealing but what makes the movie quite watchable is the realistic unfolding of the narrative, the relatable plot, the acting and the intermittent bits of humour which makes sitting through it an enjoyable experience. Normally marital issues in movies deal with conflict and distress but this one focuses on the lighter side of the manifestations of marriage. The everyday happenings in the life of a young married couple like the bickering, the arguments, the disagreements etc are all depicted in a humorous way. This makes viewing the movie a pleasant experience and one does not get bored. Both Pratik and Vidya have shown great chemistry in the scenes and have pulled off the humorous scenes with panache.