Kuch Khattaa Ho Jaay Movie Review
Guru Randhawa always looks good in his music videos and we always used to think that he should appear in films. It’s strange that he decided to make his debut in such a convoluted family drama as this. Kuch Khattaa Ho Jaay seems to be stuck in the ’60s. Heer’s family is more interested in getting an heir to their fortune than the actual wellbeing of the newly married couple. They frown upon such practices as IVF, surrogacy and adoption. Then, why did Heer and Ira agree to fake a pregnancy in the first place. Couldn’t they have told their elders that they’ll only take such a step after Ira realises her dream? And were they going to magically produce a baby after nine months? We’re living in 2024, right, or some other era, where the youngsters blindly followed the elders. Why aren’t there servants or helpers in the Chawla household to help the new bahu? She’s the one doing all the things for everyone. Later, Ira even agrees to let her husband marry someone else, as she can’t conceive. We could have done without this sort of a melodrama. Director G Ashok is no newbie and has given hits like Pilla Zamindar (2011) and Bhaagamathie (2018) in the past. His first Hindi outing was the Bhumi Pednekar starrer Durgamati (2020), a remake of Bhaagamathie, which didn’t find any traction due to Covid. It’s strange that he has chosen such a weakly-scripted film as this as his original Hindi offering.
Veteran South comedian Brahmanandam makes a cameo as the prospective father-in-law of Heer and while his deadpan delivery does elicit some laughs, an actor of his stature has been wasted in such a nonsensical role. Ila Arun and Anupam Kher look the same age but she’s supposed to be his daughter-in-law in the film. The veteran actors have been given the burden of emotional scenes and carry them on their capable shoulders with ease. Anupam has been given much more of a layered role than anyone else and performs heads and shoulders above everyone. Atul Srivastava, Paresh Ganatra and Paritosh Tripathi, who can be relied upon always, struggle with their underwritten roles.
Saiee Manjrekar looks charming and has a good screen presence and performs to the limits of her role. She certainly needs better films to showcase her talent. The same is true of the debutant, Guru Randhawa. He’s one of the better Punjabi singers around and remains universally popular but should have chosen a better scripted, better executed film than this. He does have a screen presence and has confidently faced the camera but needs more work on his expressions.
Trailer : Kuch Khattaa Ho Jaay
Dhaval Roy, February 16, 2024, 4:02 PM IST
Kuch Khattaa Ho Jaay story: A young couple ties the knot to escape familial pressure. As the girl aspires to be an IAS officer, her husband pledges to support her in every way. However, a misunderstanding makes the family believe she’s pregnant, and confusion ensues.
Kuch Khattaa Ho Jaay review: The film primarily revolves around three characters. Ira Mishra (Saiee Manjrekar), a bright, aspiring IAS officer, a happy-go-lucky Heer Chawla (Guru Randhawa), and his grandfather Brij Bhushan Chawla (Anupam Kher), whose only dream is to become a great-grandfather. The young couple is pressured to marry and take the family line forward. The duo comes up with a perfect plan — faking a pregnancy so that Ira is relieved of household duties to focus on preparing for her exams. The story then moves to a fake miscarriage after an accident, Ira’s inability to conceive again, and what it means for the couple and the family.
A big haveli with quirky and loud family members, outlandish situations, and over-the-top drama make director G Ashok’s comedy-drama formulaic in both content and characters. Written by Raj Saluja, Niket Pandey, Vijay Pal Singh and Shobhit Sinha, the narrative is peppered with slapstick humour, primarily through puns and funny one-liners such as “Stent lagane ki umr mein stunts kar rahe ho.” Some scenes with entendre, like the drunken men of the family mistaking an artificial baby belly for an adult diaper, appear more farcical than funny. Many tracks offering solutions to absurd situations seem forced and too convenient, making the narrative unconvincing.
The story is set in Agra, giving the cinematographers Jayesh Sen and R M Swamy an opportunity to show their prowess. From Fatehpur Sikri to the sunset at the Taj Mahal, the duo captures the city’s beauty well, along with some wonderfully shot songs. Guru Randhawa, Sachet-Parampara, Meet Bros, Nilesh Ahuja, and Sadhu Sushil Tiwari deliver an eclectic soundtrack with club bangers like Ishare Tere and romantic numbers Jeena Sikhaya.
While Saiee Manjrekar delivers a serviceable performance, Guru Randhawa is likable as a young and goofy guy. The duo has a breezy on-screen chemistry. Although the Punjabi singer is passable in light comedy, he is green behind the ears in emotional scenes. Anupam Kher as a loving and full-of-life grandfather and Ila Arun as a loud and motherly chachi play their parts well. Paritosh Tripathi as a snarky adopted son ably adds to the outrageous comedy. Senior South Indian actor Brahmanandam also makes an appearance as a mafia don and pulls off his role with the slapstick panache he is renowned for.
During its 125-minute runtime, Kuchh Khatta Ho Jaay provides enough comedy and funny one-liners. However, the main plot and bizarre events leave much to be desired.
