Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar

TU JHOOTHI MAIN MAKKAAR is markedly flawed, but funny, engaging and refreshingly different!

Chic and urban, TU JHOOTHI MAIN MAKKAAR is a consistently riveting romcom, which is fluffy in the first half, but picks up steam post intermission and finally redeems itself with an invigorating climax with a fresh perspective. Vibrant and glossy, despite all its shortcomings, this urban romantic comedy is a visual delight that’s propelled by the inimitable charm of Ranbir Kapoor, making it totally worth a watch!

The Plot: Two people, Mikki (Ranbir) and Tinni (Shraddha), with raging hormones, meet on a bachelor’s trip with their respective best friends and decide to date each other. Soon the girl falls out of love and hires a man to separate her from her boyfriend. Turns out the boyfriend runs a part-time break-up agency only to realise he is now assigned to break his own relationship. Thence unfolds the drama.

Seconds into the film and you’re sucked into the customary world of Luv Ranjan (who has now become the brand ambassador of publicly acceptable sexism in films) – filled with urban youthfulness and their superficial bonds, all while keeping the proceedings breezy and systematically humorous. While TU JHOOTHI MAIN MAKKAAR (TJMM) is mostly progressive in its theme and doesn’t really touch upon misogynistic topics, the deep rooted sexism is evident in the overall tone. However, it’s as harmless as a sleeping cat.

As a refreshing take on modern relationships, TJMM mocks the established notions of dating and romance and examines the consequences of a clash between family and freedom, between casual fling and lifelong fidelity, between a girl who is done with living under the same roof with her extended folks and a boy for whom family bonds matter as much as love does. Its strength lies in its originality. Bringing back the romcoms to big budget mainstream Bollywood, Luv Ranjan steers clear of the usual banality, and whips out a modern romantic tale with much needed novelty. Surprisingly, the conflicts feel totally real and relevant, although their treatment is mostly loud and verbose.

The characters too are mostly unique, both in essence and form. Then there are plenty of funny and clever dialogue exchanges and meta film references, along with the mandatory monologue. All this makes for a fun watch and you tend to look past the frequent gaping holes in the writing and character backstories.

As pointed out before, the first half is mostly superficial, but it’s post interval that the film gathers heft. But, like in any good show you see, here also it’s the end that’s the most impactful. The final 30 minutes of TJMM is where all momentum collides and creates the sparkle you were waiting for. Well thought and relevant, the climax is the high point of this film. One could argue that it spoon feeds each thought it conveys, but that’s how mainstream cinema functions. It has to be accessible for a larger audience. I genuinely liked how writer-director Luv Ranjan gives you an ending that accommodates opposing perspectives towards the same situation and doesn’t try to give a verdict as to which one’s right. This just nails it for me.

The overall mood of the film is lively and delightful. The songs are peppy and visually the film scores really high. Top notch production values and impressively mounted, TJMM is never dull.

It’s hardly surprising that Ranbir Kapoor hits the ball out of the park with his performance, yet again. Smooth, suave and spellbinding, he’s a real treat to watch. The effortlessness in his acting leaves you awestruck, always. Shraddha Kapoor does well and her portrayal of the strong independent 27-yr-old is mostly credible. Dimple Kapadia and Anubhav Singh Bassi shine in the supporting cast. All others do a good job.

To sum up, TU JHOOTHI MAIN MAKKAAR is a welcome return of romcoms to the big-screen after such a long time. Fun, attractive and engrossing, TJMM is totally worth your time and money this festive weekend!