Dum Laga Ke Haisha Review

What is it all about?

A ‘Big’ reminder of how blessed, beautiful, nostalgic, sweet, involving and cinematically gifting B-town rom com can be. India’s premiere production house YRF’s ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’ helmed by Sharat Katariya is that heartfelt pure gold cinema that veteran moviegoers complain it doesn’t get made anymore.

This remarkable rom com is the most distinguished, charming and loving to come in recent years, almost flawless in its nature and humanity to make an instant connect with the audience.

Destined for a bigger and better push in days to come with loving word of mouth from everywhere, ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’ is a modern gem.

The Story

Sharat Katariya as the writer keeps it straight from the heart and simple. It’s the 1990’s in Haridwar. Kumar Shanu is the ‘big’ thing. Prem (Ayushmann Khurrana) an S.S.C. fail 25 year old audio cassette vendor and fan of the 90’s legend is forced to get married to B.Ed pass sweet bubbly and a ‘bit extra’ Sandhya (Bhumi Pednekar).

Sandhya is happy but Prem is unwilling resulting in clashes and hilarious situations mirroring the day to day life a middle class northern India until the final realization that beauty is skin deep and lots more..

The script is filled with hilarious gem of moments taken from our day to day life. It’s a brilliantly layered writing that is crowd pleasing as well.

What to look out for

A movie, a love story we all wanted to see, experience, feel and get nostalgic about it. One of those prime reasons our veteran movie goers visited cinemas. Sharat Katariya blends a modern day Hrishida and Basu Da on a Yash Raj platform and comes with flying colours. It’s simple, straight and satisfying story telling right from the heart. No strings of make believe characters, forced emotions, gloss attached. Pure gold.

The very first frame when we hear Kumar Shanu’s vocals against YRF logo the audience are hooked into it. Kumar Shanu during the climax and pre climax is a masterstroke. It’s so difficult and rare to center a film on an over-sized female character and lift it with Kumar Shanu’s spirit which remarkably works ‘big’ for both the audience and the characters in the film.

Ayushmann and Bhumi’s chemistry is unique and will be remembered for long.

Technically brilliant. Manu Anand’s camera does the talking. Andrea Guerra score lifts the momentum. Meenal Agarwal production design is exceptional. There is an eye for detail - the posters audio tapes, cassette players, Kumar Shanu’s velvet jacket everything is in sync with the era. Anu Malik and Varun Grover’s music is the surprise packet.

The performances are of highest caliber.

Ayushmann is in top form and seems to have worked on his Punjabi accent resulting in a brilliant performance. Bhumi Pednekar is the most remarkable b-town debut of recent times. She accepts the challenge with such remarkable ease and delivers a knock out performance. She is indeed a ‘big’ bundle of talent.

From the supporting cast Sanjay Mishra is brilliant. Seema Pahwa is fabulous. Sheeba Chadda and Alika Amin are very good.

What not

The accent sometimes crosses Haridwar and reaches Bundelkhand. The sub plot of Prem’s auntie was not necessary.

Conclusion: 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha' is a 111 minutes gem of a rom com. YRF brings the most distinguished, charming and loving love story in recent years. Push yourself to the nearest theater with your love and pull your love for your love and cinema.