Childhood romances and ‘mohalle waala pyaar’ rarely have happy endings in Indian society. Behen Hogi Teri throws light on this aspect and also tackles the ‘burning issue’ of guys who are naturally assumed to be ‘bhaiyya’ of all the girls in the neighbourhood. What if the guy falls for the girl? How can he stop the girl from tying him a ‘rakhi’? The premise of the film is interesting but the content is confusing and fails to involve viewers.
The story of the movie: Shiv aka Gattu (Rajkummar Rao) is in love with his neighbor Binny Arora (Shruti Haasan) since childhood. But he is never able to gather guts and confess his feelings to Binny. Binny’s elder brother Jaidev (Ninad Kamat) is tough and even admitting to him about his love will be foolhardy especially when Gattu himself is not well settled and has no secure future. At this juncture, Rahul (Gautam Gulati) enters their lives. Binny’s marriage is arranged with Rahul, who is opposite of Gattu – smart, sophisticated, rich and well spoken. How Gattu tries to win Binny’s heart but in the process creates loads of problems and tensions for the Arora family forms the rest of the film.
With such a relatable synopsis, Behen Hogi Teri should have ideally been a laugh riot. But sadly, that never happens. It has some funny moments though but somehow there’s not a single sequence that takes the film to dizzying heights. The opening sequence is witty but that’s about it – it doesn’t bring the house down. Gattu dreaming of romancing Binny when there has been demise is a well-written sequence but again, there’s something missing that doesn’t allow the film to go on a high. Nevertheless, the first half is decent and manages to build up the story nicely and one hopes for some explosive entertainment in the second half. Sadly, that doesn’t happen. The film drags at places and one wonders what exactly is Gattu doing. His actions seem confusing and hardly anything that would make one root for the hero. The pre-climax scene however is sweet and the climax is slightly better than the overall disappointing second half.
Rajkummar Rao is superb. The film might not impress but he surely will. Known for intense performances, Rajkummar Rao wins hearts in this light-hearted performance. Shruti Haasan looks lovely and performance wise, she is decent. Her entry scene is rocking and in a couple of scenes, she really shines. Ninad Kamat is very good in a supporting role and gets into his character. Herry Tangiri (Bhura) is rocking and raises laughs in few sequences. Gulshan Grover (Bhura’s father) is damn good as the villain while Ranjeet (Bhura’s uncle) and Darshan Jariwala (Gattu’s father) are fair. Gautam Gulati has a very small role but gives a neat performance. Same goes for Kamlesh Gill (Binny’s grandmother).
Music is hardly memorable. Tera Hoke Rahoon is the best while Jai Maa is witty and entertaining. Jaanu is a disappointing remix while other tracks are forgettable. Rishi Rich’s background score is subtle and has the fun element. Viraj Singh Gohil’s cinematography is praiseworthy as it captures Lucknow like never before. Deven Murdeshwar’s editing is reckless at some places which dilutes the impact. Ajay K Pannalal and Vinit Vyas’s story is relatable while the dialogues are impressive. Screenplay however is faulty. Ajay K Pannalal’s direction fails to hit the bullseye. He has a lovely premise in hand and moreover, he has based it in a relatable environment in a small town Indian town. But the confusing content and misunderstandings in second half takes the film down.
On the whole, Behen Hogi Teri could have been this year’s Tanu Weds Manu Returns or Happy Bhaag Jaayegi. It has so many things going in its favour – great performances, a premise that’s straight out of life and a small town setting that oozes ‘mitti ki khushboo’. But there’s too much confusion and misunderstandings in the second half that should have brought the house down. Instead, it leaves the audiences dazed.
My rating – ** out of 5!
First appeared On Kiagia.com: https://goo.gl/XscRJQ