Dono

Recently watched the movie DONO. It is a very sweet romcom from Rajshri productions. Since many years, Rajshri productions is known for making clean family entertaining movies and DONO does not disappoint.

This is a refreshing story of young people Dev Sharaf( Rajveer Deol) and Meghna Doshi ( Paloma) who meet at lavish Destination wedding in Thailand .Dev is friend of Dulhan (Alina), who happens to be his childhood crush and Meghna is the best friend of Dulha(Nikhil). Sparks fly between them during pre marriage functions as they strike up a friendship and help each other with their problems.

Coming to performances, Handsome Rajveer Deol has delivered superlative performance with perfect blend of love ,emotions and humour.

Gorgeous Paloma with dimples which enrich her facial expressions scores 10 out of 10 with her standout acting, spontaneity and lively screen presence.

Kanika kapur is very impressive. She acted flawlessly particularly in some emotional sequences in the movie. Rohit Khurana as Nikhil and Aaditya Nanda as Gaurav have also done their roles perfectly.

Music is the strong part of the movie. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have given awesome music score which adds a fun charm to the film. Armaan Malik's voice in the title track is outstanding.

First time Director Avnish S. Barjatya has done a fabulous job in making this sweet love story that has more than just romance. He has directed pre marriage functions very gracefully which his father Sooraj Barjatya is famed for.

In conclusion DONO is such a pretty movie on modern relations, closures and importance of self respect.

Dono (2023) : Movie Review -

Dono Review: Avnish Barjatya makes his debut with Rajshri Productions' "Dono," starring Rajveer Deol and Paloma Dhillon. Today's romantic dramas are far different from what Rajshri used to make way back in time. From misunderstandings, breakups, and reconciliations, we have come to the 'move on' term in the romantic drama genre. That's relevant to today's generation, but is everyone concerned about it like everyone was with Rajshri's family dramas? The answer should be no, because move-on and live-in terms are still not fully socially accepted. Yet, we have filmmakers trying to tackle the subject, which is somewhat relatable to youth and far from family audiences. Isn't that a sigh of worry? It could have been a good, modern take on the dual love stories, trying to cross each other over, but fails short in conviction.

Dono is about a young man, Dev (Rajveer Deol), who has to attend the wedding of Alina, whom he has loved since childhood. Having no excuse to skip the wedding, he is forced to go to the wedding to find himself nothing but torment. There he meets Meghna (Paloma Dhillon), a happy-go-lucky girl (at least that's what she pretends to be from the outside), who learns about his love for Alina by mistake. They become friends and spend good time during the pre-wedding festivities. Meghna has a past; the one who is present with her at the wedding, and she is disturbed by his presence. Dev can see it and feel it, and that's what brings them closer, unknowingly or knowingly. Will they accept this unspoken feeling? Will Dev be able to get over Alina, and will Meghna forget her possessive ex-boyfriend?

Dono is set in Thailand-I mean, the wedding portion-without foreign culture. It shouts about modern love theories and weddings but is stuck with decades-old theories of society. The soon-to-be coulple cannot kiss each other, as if they never kissed while dating. The girl has to receive all the looks because she is a girl. Is that what you call a modern love story? The main protagonist is more outdated than Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's Devdas, who cannot speak a word about love to his girl, cannot propose, and yet expresses his loneliness to his best friend. If he couldn't speak to the girl, how can he speak about the same with his best friend when he was the one at fault? Dono's writing defeats its main purpose, which is to be modern. Rajshri is known for traditional dramas, so Dono defeats that purpose as well. Moreover, the screenplay is too long and tedious. It's impossible for one to hold their seat for two and a half hours. Avnish's writing should have been more complete, and the screenwriting is too below the mark.

Rajveer Deol looks handsome in his debut and is pretty promising in some scenes. But he needs to work on his dialogue delivery, as the accent isn't flawless. Paloma literally looks breathtaking in many scenes whenever she is all dolled up with all that traditional makeup kit. Traditional beauty is always ahead of glamour and skin show, and Paloma follows the same rulebook here. Alina's character had to be glamorous and extra modern, which is portrayed well by Kanikka Kapur, who brings her own scenic beauty to it. Aditya Nanda is nothing but a chubby boy, while Rohan Khurana, Manik Papneja, Poojan Chhabra, and others are decent in their roles.

Dono is shot overseas, so it's definitely a lavish film to watch. The cinematography is good, especially with nature's shots and the wedding shoot. All you see is beautiful girls wearing traditionally gorgeous clothes and boys in classic fashion-well, that's a fine job done by a costume designer. Dono lacks tight editing, though. With one or two songs trimmed, they could have made it with a standard runtime of 130-135 minutes. Those extra 15-20 minutes aren't worth it. I still think Avnish's writing was more problematic than his direction. In the first half, you don't feel bored because it never looked like a film directed by a debutant. It's engaging and pretty handsome. The second half takes it down because the writing goes too low with its graph. There was nothing that could have saved it anyway, but Avnish did try. After all, there is a happy ending and before that, one or two suspenseful moments, but everything is predictable, including the characters' behaviour (that non-smiling man, though). Overall, Dono comes with a finite amount of conviction that's brought down by half-baked theories.

RATING - 4/10*

It's a wonderful movie one can expect from Rajshree...Paloma and Rajveer are wonderful in the movie...The simple story told in a fresh way without fake sets...The approach is realistic...Avnish just stole the show...million times better than Rocky and rani ki nonsense story...must watch...it's youthful, beautiful and good as expected...songs are too good...every song fits it's situation and goes with the story...The movie never sinked and you feel like watching more of it...as if we want to watch more of it....my heart goes for it...Avnish carried the legacy really well...doesn't seem like his debut movie....

"Dono," the 2023 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama, directed by Avnish S. Barjatya, emerges as a captivating exploration of contemporary Indian youth and their evolving perspectives. With a fresh cast featuring newcomers Rajveer Deol and Paloma Dhillon, this film proves to be a refreshing addition to the genre.

The movie skillfully captures the essence of today's generation in India, shedding light on their forward-looking aspirations and the personal validation syndrome that often accompanies young adulthood. It's a relatable reflection of the thoughts and struggles faced by many young people today.

Rajveer Deol, Paloma Dhillon, and director Avnish Barjatya shine in their debut performances, bringing authenticity and depth to their characters. The chemistry between the lead pair adds a layer of authenticity to the romance, making it engaging and relatable.

One standout feature of "Dono" is its music, with songs by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy that are bound to leave a lasting impression. The film masterfully blends these melodies into its narrative, enhancing the overall experience.

But what truly sets "Dono" apart is its exploration of the concept of closure and moving on. This theme resonates deeply with the young audience, making the film more than just a romance; it's a story of personal growth and self-discovery.

For fans of family dramas and romance, "Dono" is a must-watch. It offers a fresh take on love in the modern age and the pursuit of one's dreams. As it delves into the complexities of relationships and personal validation, it provides a captivating and relatable cinematic experience. So, if you're looking for a movie that combines heart, drama, and romance, "Dono (2023)" should be at the top of your list.

Rajshree successful expertise in Indian marriages and stories around it is repeated again in this movie which marks the debut of director Avinash S Barjatya ( son of Sooraj Barjataya), Rajveer Deol (son of Sunny Deol) and Polomi.

Story and direction is good, its simple but good but performances are ordinary. Sorry to say but Rajveer like his elder brother Karan Deol has not properly prepared himself for the film industry of today. He looks good but expression wise,dance wise ,body wise he still in the era of his father whereas other recent new comers like Varun, Tiger,has worked on themselves.

You can wait for its OTT release to watch the film.