Romcoms are supposed to be endearing films that bring a lump in your throat. 'Meri Pyaari Bindu' is far from it. It turns out to be a video of Ayushmann Khurrana's love for Parineeti Chopra. More attention is given to Parineeti's look than to the narrative
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'Meri Pyaari Bindu'
Drama, Music, Romance
Director: Akshay Roy
Cast: Parineeti Chopra, Ayushmann Khurrana, Abish Mathew
Rating:
Kishore Kumar’s classic ode, Meri Pyaari Bindu, in the Sunil Dutt and Saira Banu-starrer Padosan (1968) happened to be her father’s favourite song — the reason she was named Bindu (Parineeti), though she laments Saira would have been a better option. Except for a name, over which she had no control, Bindu, who aspires to be a singer, lives life on her own terms.
As she pursues her dream, neighbour and childhood buddy Abhi (Ayushmann) follows his calling — a life together with Bindu.
It’s a simple tale of childhood love, which turns out to be complicated. The plot finds itself entangled in different cities over decades as Abhi unfolds the story of his one-sided love for Bindu. The first half leaves you confused, as situations and time frames yo-yo like a pendulum. Every few minutes a message pops up to explain whether it is circa 2005 or the ’90s or present day. After a while you give up reading as Ayushamann’s outpourings continue on a typewriter, since he refuses to let go of Bindu who by now has a track record of broken engagements and finding herself in different cities every now and then. At times, Abhi is as clueless about her whereabouts as the audience tries to comprehend through the numerous flashbacks which year it is and what location is coming up next.
As Bindu, Parineeti’s main task is to look good and fulfill her singing aspirations. She is back on the scene after a three-year gap. Her last outings, Daawat-e-Ishq and Kill Dill in 2014, proved to be damp squibs. Her styling, however, looks extremely 2017 even when she travels back in time. The attention given to her look, is more than on the narrative. In one of the scenes while walking along Marine Drive, Ayushmann (he’s done his best) chomps on a badly burnt bhutta. It was overdone, just like the romcom which is far from engaging with too many layers. The parents are reduced to mere caricatures while the flavours of Kolkata are infused to explain the love of a Bengali guy for a South Indian girl.
Romcoms are supposed to be endearing that bring a lump in your throat, this is far from it. It turns out to be a video of Abhi’s love for Bindu.